Vengeance for Blood
by Lacrease
Summary: This story is about a woman whose life has been torn apart and dreams have faded. She dominates the ladder to destroy the one and only man that had taken her life...Xan Kriegor. FINISHED! Epilogue and Special Thanks!
1. Let The Tournament Begin

"Vengeance for Blood"

Disclaimer: I don't own Unreal Tournament I or II. Please don't sue!!!!!!!

(a/n): In this story only 2-3 characters will be unfamiliar to you. The rest should be familiar. I took the characters from the Ladders and Practice Sessions so you should know at least someone of them. Well enjoy!

Chapter 1: Let the Last Match Begin.

            "Tanya? Tanya?" The voice of little Tanya's father echoed through the mist. Tanya desperately looked for her father through the woods as she whipped her head back and forth, trying to see through the wilderness.

            She was feeling lost and alone, she doesn't like when people played hide and seek with her because she never finds anyone who hides. "Dada?" She asked in her childish accent. "Dada, its not funny anymore." She wailed. "Dada?" There was no response and Tanya was getting scarred and annoyed.

            She sat on the grass and hugged her knees as she dropped her head, her silky, black, long hair streamed down around her. "Tanya." She perked her head up as she heard her father say her name in a solid voice that was no longer an echo. He was standing, expanding his strong arm towards her. "Dada!" She screamed out loud and gracefully took her his hand. 

            "Why are you crying?" He asked her in a soft voice wiping her tears away as he picked her up. "I thought you left me." She said in her childish sweet voice as she sniffed her tears away. "Aww…now why would I do that?" He put her down and wiped her last tear.

            "Look at this honey, do you know what this is?" He took out a blue-looking stone in front of her from his pocket. "A diamond?" She asked curiously as she examined the pretty thing in her father's hand. He chuckled and crouched down next to her. "No crystal-eyes." He handed her the stone. "It's your birth stone, sapphire." She looked up with her blue bright eyes. "What is a birth stone?" He picked her up again. "A birth stone is a stone that represents your time of birth." "Ohhhhhh…" Tanya trailed off as she stared at the stone, mesmerized.

            The stone was pretty; she couldn't tear her eyes from this. "Honey, I want you to take this. Always carry it with you, understand? It will remind you of me." He put her down and she tore her eyes away from the stone and looked at her father in confusion. "But daddy, I see you everyday, why do I need such a thing." But her father was gone. "Daddy? Daddy!?"

            "Daddy!" Tanya woke up sweating in her little bed. She sat up and wiped off the sweat from her eyes. She stretched and yawned and something fell on the ground scarring her out of her wits. "Ah!" She looked down on the floor and saw a blue stone lying there. She stood and picked it up. "Daddy?" She asked no one in particular.

            She rushed downstairs as fast as she could into the living room and her father wasn't there like everyday. There was a note on the coffee table that she walked up to. "'Honey, I've gone away for a while but I'll come back. After all you're my only angel. Happy Birthday. If you'll be a good girl perhaps I'll buy two gifts instead of one.'" She read the note out loud and was mystified. Where could her dad go? What could be more important than her birthday? She had no clue but she trusted her father, when he says something he means it. 

She turns on the T.V and sees Liandri Corporation name glowing in green and a voice was saying. "Good Morning everyone and welcome to Nuvision where you can watch all of the Unreal Tournament matches!" The screens flashed and a young man in black suit was standing in front of a huge crowd. He seemed to be in a stadium surrounded by the people. In the middles was this circle platform where it had a thin stand with a round button in the middle. On top of the stage was a huge screen where different images passed by quickly.

"As you all know, all of the contestants have battled and today we decide who will fight the almighty Jack Menace! The scores were in and only one man had made it to the top. XAN KRIEGOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They screamed out his name as though he was some sort of celebrity. 

Tanya's eyes were flooding with tears. Her father went to fight in the tournament again. She hated when he competed and now he was here.

The two men stepped up to the platform, both geared up. He father was wearing an army outfit with strong boots. He also had a backpack that was blue and had navy marks. He was wearing the Blood Reavers suit, his old team he used to serve. 

His enemy, Xan Kriegor, was geared to kill and looked deadly. He looked more of like a robot. His mask covered his face and every part of his body was covered with metal. Her father came closer to where the button is and pushed it hard with his fist. She couldn't figure out the name of the place. She looked at the screen and saw a round space station in space with 4 spaceships on the sides. She didn't need to know what the name of the place is. She simply knew, he was going to space… 

(a/n): So what do you think? If you are confused about Tanya's father being the champion I don't blame you. Just read on. On the second chapter it will all make sense. This all follows the main idea of the Unreal Tournament. Please tell me how I did. Oh yeah, if there is something wrong tell me that as well. I'm trying to write my best! 


	2. The Fight For the Throne

Disclaimer: I don't own UT and I don't own UT 2003. It be nice though…

(a/n): Thanks for the review FUN. Okay here. You want more? You got it. Well enjoy. ^_^

Chapter 2

"The Fight For the Throne"

            Jack hit the button with all his might and on the screen above, a space station appeared in space. It had a semicircle-bridge in the front and in the far back where two straight bridges. _Hyper Space…_Jack thought. This place was for a one on one match where you can get sucked up by the space.

            Strange waves appeared around Xan and Jack and they were spawned in the deadly space. This is it, the match has started, the main objective is to frag Xan ten times. Secondary goals are to find a close range weapon and a long-range weapon. Also, not to get fragged more that 9 times. "I am Alpha and the Omega." Xan's electronic voice boomed through the silence. "Show off…" Jack murmured to himself. He ran up to the minigun and picked it up and ran for the shield belt in the semicircle, picking up some boosters called health vials. He went up to the shield belt and a rocket met his face through the opening. Instead of getting the shield belt he jumped up and the rockets hit the floor making an impact that made him crash into the far back wall.

            He regained his balance and saw Xan jump across from the rocket launcher platform towards the opening where the shield belt is. Jack opened fire with his minigun in a fast rate to stop Xan from reaching the shield belt. Xan's speed was reduced to zero and now he was falling into space. Jack relaxed a little but just than Xan fired 3 last rockets at him. Jack dodged to his left but the impact was too close. Jack could not keep going he was fragged. "Run, Human." Xan's taunt ringed in Jack's ear. "Xan was shot out into space!" The announcer had said loudly through their headphones.

            Jack's body was aching and his legs hurt. The rocket launcher is a dangerous weapon. Jack re-spawned under the station and quickly picked up the weapon he despised the most, the bio-rifle. He ran to his left through a very narrow hallway that led to his favorite close range weapon, the Flak cannon. He ran up the ramp and picked up the weapon that was sitting next to yet another ramp that led to the shield belt. 

            Jack froze at the power up sound. Xan had the shield belt and Jack did not doubt that. He went to the opposite side of the ramp that led to the semicircle and walked down the other slope that led to the armor.

            He heard minigun's fire zip by his ear. Jack just realized Xan was much faster than he was and that is the biggest disadvantage. Jack believes a good player is a player that has speed and tactics and his opponent has both of them.

            Xan seemed to be boosted or something. Probably his suit allowed him such speed. Jack rounded a right corner and went up the blue ramp that led outside of the space station. As soon as he was out he used the low gravity to his advantage to get up to the rocket launcher platform. More gunfire zipped by his ear and than he felt slug in his back. Xan hit him once more. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Tanya watched in horror as she saw her father got fragged and fragged. She saw her father now re-spawning on the outside of the station. He was on that semicircle which held a blue gun, commonly known as the shock rifle. Her father showed her so much about this tournament and she thought he was the best. But now she can't watch this. Xan Kriegor only got fragged 3 times while her father was fragged 6. (a/n: when I first played this game I couldn't frag him once! It took a lot of intense training to win this match 10 to 0! And eventually I kicked his but hard under the name 'Trinity' which is the main character in this story!). 

            Her father picked up the shock rifle in his hands and jumped up into the space and floated through it and then landed on the rocket launcher platform. He picked up the r. launcher and jumped down and floated through the space again. He seemed to land in the opening where the shield belt is. Her father's body began to glow in yellow, indicating he has a shield belt. 

            Then Xan came out of nowhere and blasted 5 rockets into her father. Her father's shield belt went down instantly. Xan started to strafe from left to right as a crazy animal and she saw her father couldn't take his best aim. Jack ran backwards and fired of the walls as he did so Xan didn't follow. Than something came out from the blasting of the rockets…Three small jumpy rockets that bounced of the wall. 

            She saw her father's eyes widened and the three small grenades exploded against her father blowing him into pieces. (Image that!) Tanya closed her eyes as she saw blood cover the spectator's camera and heard Xan say, "You die too easily." "No, no, no. This is all wrong! My dad that was never easy to beat, never! He was the greatest! How could this happen??" Tanya watched her father getting re-spawned again and he didn't move. He seemed to gag. "Daddy?" Tanya got up to her feet and noticed green liquid coming out of her father's mouth. "Daddy!" She screamed his name again.

            Xan ran out of a blue ramp and pointed a minigun at her father but didn't shoot him. Instead he stared at him, stared at him gagging green liquid. Her father fell on the ground holding his stomach. She could see him struggling. "Daddy!? What's wrong!?" She screamed in pain. Her father didn't move. He was sprawled out on the floor.

            The wavy circles surrounded the two again and they were back into the stadium. Instead of people cheering like at the end of every match they were silent. A doctor ran up to her father and checked his pulse. Tanya was biting her nails, she was nervous. She saw the doctor look up at the others that were standing next to her father and shook his head. Tanya burst out into tears. Her father was dead.

(a/n): What'd you think about this chapter? Tell me!!!!!!! Anyway this is where the real tournament begins. This story will be now factual. Tanya will become Trinity, a character I played with in UT. This character is my best. I've got the best stats on her. Fragged 20,345 people all together and died 125 times. That's good right? Anyway. The characters Trinity will meet are real too. These characters I like because they help me out a lot during game play. The characters I hate such as Karag will also be the character she will hate. This is how I really played the UT. I just made up a bio for her after seeing that every other character had bios. What'd you think of this bio, kind of cool right? She joins the tournament to avenge her father while meeting someone who will help her accomplish this. By the way the map in this chapter is real. If you find any tricks in here, you can really do them because I tried it out myself. If you need any help with secrets or shortcuts on this game than ask me. I've been playing this game for 3 years now. Email me at menasea@hotmail.com.             


	3. An Angry Heart

Disclaimer: I don't own UT and UT2003 yes…we should know that by now…

(a/n): People ask me to write more…well I decided to do so. What happened to Jack you ask? It is all explained in this chapter. Well enjoy ^_^

Chapter 3

An Angry Heart

…Her father was dead…

…20 years later…

"HA! HA! HA!" Tanya was training in her own gym hitting the punching bag with all of her might. Today was the day when her father died and was also her 24th birthday. No one knew why he had died. But Tanya wasn't stupid. She is not 4 years old anymore. That's what the doctors say, but in truth they really know what happened to him. He was poisoned and Tanya suspected Liandri Corporation and Xan Kriegor. Her father was always against Liandri. They wanted to put criminals in the tournament to fight for their lives but Jack was against. Unlike her father, Xan thought that was a great idea and so they teamed up. Liandri got more powerful than ever when Xan Kriegor became the champion. New tournaments opened up, new contestants appeared and more spectators came to watch. Liandri was at the peak of their power.

Tanya wore her skin-tight black shorts and a T-shirt. Her long black hair was gathered in a bun and a headband pulled her short bangs away. Her whole life has changed ever since that day. All her life Tanya grieved and swore on her father's grave that she will kill Xan Kriegor for what he has done. But she cannot just yet. She has to find proof first. So that's why she decided to take advance classes in computers.

Days went by like years and years went by like decades. Tanya can still see her father falling on the floor and dieing right before her eyes. Tanya remembers how she was in shock for at least 2 years. She couldn't talk, do anything or even go outside her home. Tanya was taken to an orphanage at a very young age and when she 18 they let her out. Her house was still standing and all of the money her father had was transferred into her account. 

The money was used to repair the house and for education. Tanya did not work yet; she still had enough of money that would support her all her life. She thinks 25 billion of dollars is more than enough to last her lifetime.

All these years Tanya was training for one thing and one thing only, to get into the Unreal Tournament and avenge her father's death. She was ready, ready to go in and let Xan pay for what he have done. But she needs to do one more thing before she leaves for vengeance.

 "File found. Uploading the file." A female computer voice said to her. She also spend some of that money to install an AI into her home and speakers for the computer to talk in. She, also, can say a few commands as well. "Warning…this information requires authorization. Anyone to see this file that is not authorized will be arrested and put to treason." Tanya smiled at how Liandri took care of their own business. 

She gave one last punch to the punching bag and walked out of the gym. She walked through a large hallway will candles lit on each side. She opened the door at the other end and walked into a large round room, which had stairs leading to second, third and forth floors. She walked up those steps and walked into a room on the left on the second floor. There was a large living room. There was a surround system, plasma screen, couches and a royal red rug. 

She took off her sneakers before proceeding. She's been doing this all her life. Her father told her to do so because this rug was made from real wool back when technology didn't offer you practically anything.

Today technology went sky high. Lots of AI's in this world and you can even make your own computer boyfriend if you were that desperate. A computer today could plan and construct buildings, answer phones, do surgery on humans without any support, keep a person company and teach children at home instead of going to school. Some schools contained an AI. You can see a hologram of the teacher as the teacher teaches.

The computers also fight wars. Military uses AI for planning, constructing weapons and much more. Today the technology went so far that people found aliens. Some look like human like the Necris but their skin was very white and their eyes were nothing but a white spot. Than there are the Nalis who have human limbs just a bit more of them. Usually they are slaves to fight in the tournament. They are not the weakest but they are not the strongest. 

The strongest creatures found were the Skraaj Hybrid. They are about 3 feet taller than humans and 5X stronger. They are dangerous and feared by many. Only a few brave lives who confronts them. But no matter how strong they were, they never got through Xan. Which is kind of good, because than she has Xan all to herself and she will be the one to enjoy to kill him.       

She walked into the computer room at the other end of the living room. The computer room was a round gray room. Computers sat against the walls of this room. She used this room for hacking and finding valuable information. Three different monitors were spread apart around the room and three different keyboards. Only two screens were on, the other one was shut off for tonight. She overworked it last night, though. She sat in the comfy chair that was in the middle of this room and rolled towards the screen that was between the other two. 

"Please enter your password. Only Authorized Personnel are allowed beyond this point. If anything is suspected you would be put on Trial by Liandri Corporation." Tanya read of the computer screen. They think something like this will stop her??? They are so wrong. 

            It is true though that Liandri has control over almost everything and no one is allowed to go into their files. You can only look up the matches that are going to be made and the matches made in the past. Tanya is not looking for her father's old match though. She's looking into Xan Kriegor's file, which contains all information. She had to make sure that he killed her father because she didn't want to kill an innocent man. Who knows, even that bastard, Xan can be innocent but nevertheless she doubted. 

            Tanya filed through a few disks she got on a black market, looking for the disk that has the virus made by a person that makes programs as well. She took out a blue mini disk case and opened. "T.A.D.S.E.D." was said on the disk and she put it in the E-drive. She tapped her fingers in nervousness. 

            A popup came up. "Loading System." A blue bar quickly filled up and than the text was replaced by "Complete." She closed the popup and popped in a discus that will help her hack through this. The T.A.D.S.E.D      stood for Tranquilizes and Destroys System's Excellent Defense. In other words…the defense on this site won't turn on therefore giving her access to everything. She started to type commands for hacking. She was good at this big time.

            She had an AI teach her this because she knew a human will never teach her this because this is illegal today. Two more letters and she's done. She pushed down the enter button hard and she saw the site opening.    

            She had limited time. The virus does not work full time so she had to work fast. She set her watch on 10 minutes and began doing some research.

            There was so much on Xan but nothing she is looking for. Maybe she needs to look more into the Liandri instead into one of her puppets.

            She looked at the time and she has 5 more minutes so she began typing. A red popup had popped up. She stared at it and saw it say, "Authorized access have been breached. All personnel exit the site and try again next time. Tracking…" Her eyes widened. The virus already wore off but she couldn't stop now. She was so close. She opened one last file and her eyes widened what she saw. "Extermination Plans." A folder was named like that. She opened it quickly and saw many file reports. She read through them quickly, knowing she is out of time. _Gail Lasen, Kyle Lomoer, Paul Luke, Mifline Mane, Jack Menace. _She read the names and saw her father's name. She quickly clicked on her folder but the system was terminated and her computer was shut down. The site must have send their own virus. But she didn't care anymore. She stood up from her chair and headed towards the living room. She came up to a picture frame and took it. She kissed and said, "For all the pain you have endured on me Xan, you will pay for the life that was taken away from." She put down the picture and ran down the stairs.

(a/n): How was this chapter? Good? Hope you like it. In the next chapter Tanya will discover something her father has left her long ago. It is up to her to take the honor or to do it her way. She is strong at heart but…has she a heart left within her? Or has it died with her father? Find out! Plzz review.


	4. Determination

Disclaimer: Okay…people. Pop quiz. Question number 1. What don't I own? The answer is: UT and UT2003. Question number 2…what kind of quiz is this??? Answer: Good question. 

(a/n): Thanks for the reviews, everyone. Okay…here's more. This chapter will be a discovery of something Tanya would never thought of. It's up to her to choose her path. The question is…will she choose the right one? Will Tanya be strong enough? Will she survive?

Chapter4: Determination

Tanya did not have much time, Liandri troops will come in and raid her house and take her in any minute now. She ran up the stairs to the third floor and into her bedroom. She picked up the suitcase which was sitting on her bed already packed up and ready to go. She opened her dresser and changed into her black sweatpants with white stripes coming down on each side and a sports bra. She, also, put on a white sport's jacket. She freed her bun and her long, beautiful silky hair ran down to her thighs. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw a woman without a heart. Tanya only has one purpose in life now, what will she do when she's done? What's next? What is her future? She put the thoughts away and quickly brushed her hair. She looked at herself once again and sighed. She saw her short bangs fell forward making her look like her mother in one of the old pictures. She shook of the thought again and took the suitcase and came out of her room.

            She stopped in her tracks and looked at her father's room. She put down her suitcase and opened the door. The door creaked as she slowly opened it. She did not go here for years. Everything was left the way it was, she could still see her father's bed fixed properly and his desk was clean from papers. He was always clean. He liked when everything was in order and clean. On the desk, only a picture frame stood there, right in the middle. She came up to it and took it with her shaky hands.

            A tear tinkled down her cheek as she saw her father standing in the gym and she, as a little girl, sitting on top of his shoulders showing a big thumbs up, smiling like she just got every wish come true. 

            A trembling smile appeared on her face as she softly brushed of the dust from it. God…how she wanted to go back, how she missed him so much, it had been too long since she saw him and the pain is now unbearable. She kissed her fingertips and touched the picture slowly and held it against her heart as more tears went down her face. Why? Why? He never deserved to die; he was a good man and a good father. He was a man of love, will and strength. Her and his bond of love was so strong and now…she still loves him even in death but how she misses him. She spent nights crying and crying over the loss of her father's life. Today she thought there were no more tears to cry, she thought she was dried from everything, from life, love, tears, memories, everything. She feels nothing within her but pure hatred. That's all that is left in her now, she's nothing more but a person who is really dead but still lives, with nothing to look up to.

"Reconstruction complete, scanning…" Tanya raised her head as lighting at the muffled voice. She didn't order the computer to do anything? What was that all about? She heard a lot of machinery noises beyond her father's room, behind a bookshelf… Tanya came up to it and put her ear closer. She heard steaming noises and a lot of movement. Tanya frowned and examined the bookshelf. She tried to push it but it wouldn't budge. "Come on…I know something is beyond this wall…" She stepped back and looked around the room. 

She jumped and her heart skipped a beat when she heard the door shut close from the breeze. Tanya grabbed her heart as she tried to calm herself down. "I thought they were here." She exhaled a long breath. She looked at the open window and the curtains were raised. She waited until her breathing went back to normal and she walked up to bookshelf but then she froze as she something in the corner of her eye. 

She turned to her right, towards the window, and saw nothing but the window itself and the wall. She bit her lower lip and walked up to it just as she saw some sort of a switch hidden on the left side of the desk. She squeezed her arm between the wall and the table and felt a smooth switch. She smiled to herself and pushed it and loud _thump_ was heard behind her. 

The bookshelf was moving backwards and a passage was revealed towards the left of the hall. She took a deep breath and went in. There was a dark passage leading downward where blue light can be seen. She walked down the hall cautiously watching her every step, seeing not to make a wrong move. "Cooling process has been completed. Entering the final phase." She heard a computer voice say, sending chills up her spine. She walked up to the corner and a magnificent large room was seen as when she turned. "Wow." She said. She saw so much mechanism working and steam coming out of it. There were long glass containers that looked like clone tanks but nothing were in them. 

A screen flickered on that she came up too and saw; "Entering the final phase" was blinking in blue. She stared at weirdly, wondering, what's going on. She heard an electronic movement in the back and she turned to see what it was. She saw sparks fly in the air as they seemed to be installing something. 

She covered her eyes with her hand as some of the sparks came her way. The machinery seemed to look like a gun shooting laser onto something. The noise stop and a she heard _SSSSHHHHHHHH_ sound. It sounded like when you put hot iron into a cool water tank. She put her arms away from her eyes and saw a blue suit hanging from a metal clasp. Her eyes widened at the sight. She never had seen anything so beautiful in her life. The suit was divided into two parts. The upper part was like a bathing suit, revealing the shoulders the thighs. For the legs was two very long boots that went up to her hips. The suit had a black mask that covered the mouth and the nose and black glasses were wide and they stretched up to the temple. This suit was amazing. It looked like electricity was running through it when the light hit from different directions.

            (a/n: I'm really bad at describing this. Those who don't get it or think this suit sucks, that's because you didn't see. You can get this suit as an upgrade for the UT in the UT center. The team is Aphex and the skin is Portia. I personally think this is a hot suit.)

"Final phase has been completed." The computer said again. Tanya looked at the blinking computer and saw it say, "Project Trinity101 has been completed, one message has been send automatically, to SeaDreamer." SeaDreamer? That was her email. (Not real people. I made it up from my head.) She came up to the computer and opened her email. She saw it was some sort of a movie clip so she had to download it. She clicked on the download button and waited for a few minutes and that's all it took to download. She scanned the file for viruses which had non and then she opened, eagerly. 

Her father's face came up on the file. He seemed to be in the same place she is now. "Tanya…" He said to her. "If you are viewing this now, and I never got to tell you about Trinity project, then I must have died. Tanya, I know you seek revenge for I know you know who is after me. Be careful, my child, for being an enemy of Liandri is dangerous. But I have picked my path and so should you. I am sorry I was not there to watch you grow. You must be beautiful now." Tanya started cry silently as she watched the clip in sadness. "You must be beautiful like your mother. Tanya, no matter what happened I want you to live a happy life. I want you to free your soul from hate. But I know…you seek revenge. If I knew this sooner, I would've never started to make the project. The project was made for you to take my place as Champion at the tournament when would get too old. But now…I guess you will use it to rise to your rightful place. Tanya…just remember. Whatever path you will choose I will be with you all the way. Use this suit to fight in the tournament. It has upgrades on it. It's not just a suit. It's more of like an armor. It has speed, so you ran faster; it pumps up blood faster so you were at the top of your power all the time. The mask helps you inhale more oxygen and breath in a normal rate all the time." He paused to look back and then he continued. "The glasses help you see in X-Ray vision. Your foes cannot hide from you. You can switch vision modes by touching the side of your glasses. The modes are night-vision, infrared vision, x-ray and normal. Use this suit for good, Tanya. I trust you…once you get up to Xan and defeat him, I trust you…that you will shut down the tournament. Please, do what is right. I leave everything in your hands, my love. Please forgive me that I'm not there to guide you anymore, but I will be there, for you, always. I love you. Good luck, Crystal eyes."

Tanya's heart sank when she heard his last words and she collapsed on the floor. She wept like never before. "Why? Why did you do this to me!? I haven't done anything! Why was I cursed by this!? Why did you take him away!? Why, why?" She started to cry so much. She put her hands up to her eyes and started to cry even more. 

A door chime was heard and she looked up with her teary eyes. She knew who it was, it was the Liandri, and they have found her. She stood up and wiped the last of her tears and looked at the suit again. "Project Trinity101." She repeated the words. Tanya's squeezed her knuckles hard as an evil grin appeared on her face. She hardened her resolve and her goal was set…

(a/n): So…how was this chapter? I really hope your enjoying this because I don't want to be a boring writer. In the next chapter Tanya will change her name and enter the Unreal Tournament. She will meet a lot of contestants. The final question is…can she make it?

Review this story plzz. Tee-Hee! Thanks for reading! ^_^  


	5. A New Family

Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah, you know the drill. I don't own UT or UT2003 it would be wonderful though, eh? Hehe

(a/n): Thanks for the reviews you'll. I really appreciate it a lot. Well almost everyone just can't wait to see her enter the tournament. Well in this chapter, Tanya joins the tournament but the matches don't start yet. I can tell you that next chapter will be all about competing and so much action will take place Tanya will change her name and meet her team and give them the courage to win. She will meet a few people that should be familiar to you if you played UT. Well enjoy. ^_^

Chapter5: A New Family

            The flying units (flying cars) zipped by everywhere and Tanya was walking through the streets. She is one block away from the Liandri, where she will enter the tournament and rise in the ladder. She walked with a black cape with a black hood over her head as she moved through the crowd of people. 

            She crossed the streets and looked up towards this black building with green lights running upward in lights making it look like lighting. She looked straight up and saw the magnificent lettering of Liandri Corporation. "I'm here…" She slowly said and walked to the front desk.

 There was a robot sitting there with an energy-pad with bunch of names there in green. "Hi, I would like to join the Unreal Tournament." "Name please." The robot said in response. "Tri—" "You can't do this to me!" Tanya turned around to see a young man being held down by two Liandri soldiers. "I haven't done anything!" "What is going on?" She asked the robot who only said, "Prisoners must compete in the tournament." She looked back at the young man who retaliated harshly. He pulled one of his arms out of the soldiers grip and punched him hard in the face that knocked him out. "We need backup!" The young man threw in another punch at the other soldier and now he was free. He was running for his life.

"Why are you standing here? Go help them." The robot said staring at her with its black eyes. She looked back at the man and felt he was totally innocent. "There he is! Shoot him in the leg!" Tanya crouched and covered her head and fire zipped passed her. "Did we get him?" "I don't know…" The soldiers communicated with each other. Tanya felt anger seeing these troops again; they worked for Xan, who killed her father. What if that man was really innocent? What if he didn't do anything what if he just that stands in Xan's way. Tanya gritted her teeth and saw that young man was shielding himself behind the desk looking around for something and then he looked over to her and their eyes locked. Tanya felt petrified at how he looked at her. His eyes were colorless yellow, which made him look like someone operated on them. He froze staring straight at her, not moving any limb.

"I think he's over there." The man unfroze when he heard the voice and started to crouch through the tables. Tanya widened her eyes when she saw a man in a metallic suit come in. He wore a mask and everything was covered with metal. She opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out. It was the nightmare that haunted her all of her life, the one and only man she went to kill, Xan Kriegor. He stood above the young man and started to laugh in an inhuman voice. _He's no longer human anymore, just a machine._ Tanya thought and watched him pick up the man who seemed to skip out of the view. Xan turned around to watch him and started to mock him. The man seemed to get angry but stood his ground. "Humans are so pathetic."  Xan said and picked him up with one hand by his throat. 

Tanya felt pain running through her as she remembered her father fighting him on the TV. Tanya got the courage and ran straight for him, making a flying right side kick which brought Xan down with her. Soldiers came in and surrounded them. _I'm dead…_She thought as she stood up and saw the man gasping for air. Xan stood up and looked at her and started to laugh. "What is your name?" Tanya was too afraid to speak. "Are you joining the tournament?" He asked her and she nodded in fear. Xan started to chuckle. "I like you already, so much spirit and courage. You were the second to bring me down without my guard. Who are you?" "Trinity." She said and backed away. "No need to fear me, my child. I am Xan Kriegor but you must have known that. Let her go and give her one of our best rooms and sign her up of course. I am looking forward on meeting you again, Trinity, but I must go and compete in a match. Take him away." He said looking at the man. "No!" Trinity cried. Xan stopped and looked at her. "My lady, please understand—" "I'm not your lady." She cut him off.  Xan seemed to nod. He was already on her nerves. He is so calm in all the situations and that just killed her. "You must understand." He said. "He is a criminal and we don't want him to be on the loose." She looked at him. "But if you wish so, instead of sitting in jail, he will be given a room." "Yes." She said. "That will be better, thank you." Xan nodded and moved his hand and the soldiers picked up the man and brought him to Xan. "What is your name?" He asked with much crueler voice. "Des—Dessloch." He said and lowered his head. "Bring him to the Blue Bunker, he seems to be weak, probably another blue team member." Tanya stared at him how he put him on the team her father served proudly on.

"Now, sign up this young lady and all the best luck to you." He bowed and walked of into one of the hallways. She watched as they took Dessloch away but noticed he was looking at her. She saw him mouth the word 'thank you' and they took him away. She sighed and looked at her escort and smiled. She was proud of what she did. She doesn't believe Dessloch was a criminal, she thought of him as just another victim under Xan's control. Now she wondered, was the whole blue team like that. Are they her father's supporters or something? So she decided to enter the tournament on the blue team. "What is your name again?" The escort asked her. She looked at him and took off her hood, revealing her black mask with glasses. "Trinity. My name is Trinity." The man seemed to nod and wrote that down on his energy-pad. "Which team color are you picking?" "Blue." He looked at her and wrote that down as well. "Follow me." They walked to a large monitor that set against the wall showing different people and their descriptions. "Which team would you like to join, the Blood Reavers? They are a team of ex-mercenary's who wants to win the tournament for fame and fortune." The team was shown to her. She saw a young lady with a suit that reminded her of her father's. "Kyla." He said to her. Another picture was shown. This guy looked a lot like Dessloch but more older. "Boris." Another picture was shown, it was a woman but with tans across her face. "Mariana." He said to her. "Finally last but not least. Luthor." The same young man that looked like Dessloch but his face was tanned with all these mercenaries' marks. "I want this team." She said to him and he only looked at her in an awkward way. "You haven't seen the rest of the teams." "Yes I have, the teams are Black Legion and Dark Phalanx, right? They are the only teams on blue." The man didn't say anything but just looked at her. "I see you have been observing." "Who wouldn't? You have matches posted almost on every channel." He nodded and said. "Very well. Please go to the blue bunker. You will be the leader of the Blood Reavers. You may go to practice sessions before or after the ladders to train. Welcome to Unreal Tournament." He said to her and she just nodded and looked out through the crystal glass doors that led outside. "If only you saw me now, daddy." She said and walked towards the bunker.

The bunker turned out to be just ¼ of the building, which contained many people that were on the blue team, had long and large hallways with different rooms. It looked like part of a mansion with many, many rooms. In the basement, where the prisoners are kept, is most populated. She is like the only person that is not a prisoner and is on the blue team. She is going to search for that young man that should be here…somewhere. There is a location that will be difficult to find. She thought about going to the prison to get her team out and start to practice with them, she really wants to get to know her team and behind the Liandri operation. She, also, wants to know why are they all prisoners.

"I have to thank you." A calm voice said behind her and she turned around as lighting to find Dessloch standing there looking at her. "Dessloch!" She said and looked into his yellow eyes. He was in his Blood Reavers uniform her father once used to have with a tan on his face like a true mercenary. "Yep, that's my name, alright." She bent her head to her left and observed how perfect he looked in that suit. He seemed to arc an eyebrow and Trinity stared back into her eyes. 

"Oh. I mean, you welcome. How long have you been here?" She asked him. 

"Since I was 19 years. I was taken as a prisoner to fight for the blue team. My father, he used to fight for the blue team." 

"I heard you were a criminal." 

"Oh that's what you heard." He's deadly voice said as he approached her, watching her eyes carefully that were covered by her dark glasses. "Well that's what they say, anyways. They have nothing better to make up. I haven't done anything except be a mercenary that fought a few wars here and there." She looked at him in despair. "They took you in, for nothing?" Dessloch seemed to chuckle. "No, no, Trinity." He came up closer to her but she didn't move, she wasn't scared of him, she saw so much pain and this is nothing compared to what she experienced before. "They took me in for fun. They need someone to fight the tournament so they used criminals. Sure there are some real criminals and than there are people that are not. How did I get into this bunch? Because of my father, he served for the Blue team but died after Xan Kriegor took over the operations of the Liandri Corporation." He looked down at the floor. "Well, that's my story. What's yours? Why did you join?" She looked away and remembering her reason. "My reasons are my own to consult with. Don't ask me again." Dessloch looked at her. "Very well, after all you are my leader. So why don't we go down and meet our team? By the way, you have to go through Deathmatches in order to compete in the team arena. So you better warm up, because you will fighting with a few criminals and people that have nothing left in their lives." "Don't worry about me." She said. "I will be just fine." Dessloch smiled at her response and walked down the staircase. 

            "Our team was never a pushover. We are one of the best and usually all of our leaders died because we reached the top." Dessloch explained as they went to the their team. "Our biggest enemy is the 'Iron Guard'. They are very close to us and we have lost a few matches to them. Whichever team wins, the leader of the team goes into the Final Championship and before you fight Xan, you must prove yourself. You will fight different robots that were once human. I wouldn't call them robots they are more of like biological weapons." Trinity looked at him and asked him. "You know this from??" "The leaders. They tell us everything, because we are the only ones left for them. Kyla, our second in command leader, lost a friend who used to be the leader. So far the best leader was Jack Menace, but we were kids when he was celebrating his reign. My father, too, used to be the leader, got up to the top and died, I was drafted in the army in my early teens and then…I was arrested at the age of 18 and enslaved into the tournament at age of 19. Since then I fought the tournament along side my friend Boris, or Zenith as you might know him." 

            "The way your words sound its like some sort of imprisonment." Trinity said to him when they walked down through some long hallways that should lead to…somewhere, which reminds her…"Where are we going, again?" She asked him. "The cells." "Why?" "That's were our team is kept, you have to win the tournament to free us and gain control of Liandri." 

Trinity only nodded and they finally came into the holding cells. The cells were not made out of bars; they were more of like private rooms that they can't get out of. "May I help you?" Some sort of a robot…no sorry, a biological weapon has said. "Yes, Trinity is the leader of the Blood Reavers, she has come to get them out to compete." "The leader must complete the deathmatches first, before she is allowed to free any of her team members." Dessloch rolled his eyes and put two hands on the table and looked dead into the 'biological weapon's' eyes. "Get them out, now, Visor, before I have to kick your sorry ass in the practice sessions in front of your entire freaking Red Team! Don't you have a clue why you are -here- and not -there-? Because you are failure, now let them out before these prisoners will watch me beat your ass!" The robot seemed to back off. "One day…Luthor," He said. "You will pay for this." Dessloch laughed out loud and proceeded to the cells. "By the way." Dessloch said. "It's Dessloch, not Luthor, few people call me that, and you are not those few." Dessloch said and motioned for Trinity to come with him.  

"I see you have many friends." Trinity said as she followed. "You noticed?" He asked her and smiled gorgeously. Trinity chuckled at his response but kept silent. She didn't want to spoil his perfect smile, because whatever she has to say wasn't as welcoming.

She came inside and saw 3 people sprawled against couches and the sofa bed. "Luthor! Damn! Your alive!" A guy came up to him who looked older than Dessloch and had blue eyes unlike Dessloch's. "Hey Boris. Yo! Reavers! Meet our new leader! It's Trinity!" Everybody seemed to liven up and look bright. "Your our new leader??" A girl with jade eyes asked her with such happiness while the other kept silent but she was smiling. "It's a pleasure to meet you." She extended her hand for her to shake and Trinity did so. "Same here." She said. "Reavers I have only one thing to say." They all looked at her. "This time, we will win the tournament! I come from miles away, I have traveled the world and I know what combat is. And you my friends are going to be shown different way of competing and I suggest you learn. Because this time, its our tournament not Xan's!" The room was filled with cheers and joy as the whole team gave five to each other. 

(a/n): Did you like this chapter? In the next chapter Trish will compete in the tournament and Xan will notice her rise in the tournament quickly. But he has a backup plan, if Trinity will succeed, as he fears. Plzz review this story!! I hope you are enjoying reading this because I'm enjoying writing this. I apologize it took me a long time to write this but school can do terrible things to you! Catch ya later!


	6. Hiddin Feelings

Disclaimer: I don't own UT or UT2003. *sigh*

Claimer: Forgot to write this on other chapters. Well I always forget it anyway. Anyhow, I own Trinity (Tanya Menace) and Jack Menace.

(a/n): Thank you so much for the reviews everyone, you really give me a lot of encouragement to finish this book. (Yay!) Well once again enjoy! ^_^ 

Chapter6: Hidden Feelings 

            Trinity was in her room brushing her long, beautiful, silky, black hair. She wasn't wearing her suit now; she was in her robe because she got out of the shower of few minutes ago. Trinity was happy with her team; she thinks they all have the same goal and she will be victorious no matter what. She has to and she will. She will complete her objective given by her beloved father. Trinity put down her brush and stared into her own blue eyes. _Crystal Eyes…_ She thought when she dazed into them. She opened a drawer and took out a Sapphire, her birthstone and the color of her eyes her father have given to her before he left for the tournament. 

            A tear went down her cheek, as she thought about that moment when he have left her that note, a note so sweet to her and yet so cruel, why did he leave? If he haven't left she wouldn't have to suffer this hard. She would have been like a normal lady that had a teenage history as common as the rest. But now she felt torn apart. No matter how bad she wants it he will never come back to her. And the last thing she could do is shut down the tournament like her father asked her to do. "Why?" She whispered again. Trinity always thought she is going to die in her own depressed world where no one lives but her. She has nothing left in life and that is what hurts her the most that she is a woman with only one purpose…to kill. Trinity started to cry again the same tears she thought have dried years ago. She never felt like this before, because she is finally here, to complete her last goal. But what happens next is the real question. Is this where everything ends? That's it; it's the end of her life?

            Trinity covered her eyes with her hands and couldn't believe whom she turned in to. She was never like this, ever. She was a cute little girl loved by many. She would never hurt a soul or say anything bad. She would always hang around near her father and try to help others. She used to be so caring, like a real woman, but now…she is like born to kill, born to destroy and avenge. No one will ever know the real her again. Only one person knew, but now, non know that she is not cold blooded but yet a woman who is trying to find a life, a life worth living. A life where she would be loved again and where she can love back, a woman that does not want to hurt a soul. But now, all that is gone. Her father was right, it is a cruel world and in order to survive you must be strong and evil not weak and light-hearted. 

            "Trinity? Are you alright?" She heard Dessloch knock on her door but not opening it. She was afraid to answer, afraid that he will hear her voice is broke and that she is having doubts. She wiped off her tears and looked at her red eyes that where filled with sadness. "Trish? Hello? Anybody in there? Hello?" She heard Dessloch slowly open the door and she ran towards it and closed it back. 

"Trish?" He asked again. 

"Uh…" She tried to sound normal. "Everything is fine, Dess, thanks." 

"Dess? No one called me that before." 

"Sorry, well I'm a bit busy right now." She said as she locked the door and leaned against it. "Well…the match starts in ten minutes, I suggest you get ready." She heard him say and her heart froze. _The Tournament!_ She completely forgot about it and there she is, crying over her past that can't be changed. "Trish, you sure you're alright?" He asked her again. "Trish? No one called me that before." She heard Dessloch chuckle at her response. "Well, are you?" "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" "I dunno, it sounded like, well, uh…" He sighed. "Never mind." She heard him walk away. "Wait! Don't go. Just wait outside okay, I'll be out in a minute, okay?" She asked him a bit her lower lip, hoping he'll stay. "Uh…yeah, sure, I guess." She smiled and breathed out and said, "Thanks Dess, oh…I mean Dessloch." "That's okay, you can call me Dess for short." 

She laughed and quickly changed into her Trinity101 suit and came out eagerly and almost bumped into Dessloch. He smiled a little and seemed to study her expression but she wanted to laugh because he couldn't see it because she had a mask on.  "Thanks for waiting, I need someone to show me where the stadium is." She lied because she didn't want him to think anything negative. "Sure." He seemed to smile wider and started to walk down the hallway. "I think your first contestant is Archon. He's a rookie and probably the easiest contestant you'll fight against. If you are as good as people think you are you should frag him flawlessly." She smiled but once again he couldn't see it. She felt sorry but she couldn't show her face. Tanya Menace is Wanted almost everywhere for 'stealing' Liandri Corporation's files. Isn't she in big trouble?  

They went onto a lift and into a large hallway which had another lift. "Well, I can't go up there with you, can I? So when they are going to call your name, you go up that lift and press the button and a map will be shown. Good luck." He started to go back and she frowned. "Wait, can you stay with me until they call my name, I don't want to be bored." "Aha, so now I'm your entertainment." She laughed and nudged him on the shoulder and said, "No this is my first time here, and I don't feel like being alone." He nodded and stayed.

"How did you build that suit?" He asked her after 2 minutes of standing and doing nothing. "Oh, well I didn't, my father was like an engineer you see." She said to him trying not to give out a lot of information. "Who was your father?" "An engineer." "Yeah, I understood, I meant his name what is his name?" Trinity felt like punching him for asking that question but then she realized it was really her fault. "Listen I don't want to talk about it." She said and hoped he won't as her 'why?'. "I understand." He said and that was the last word he said to her before they called her name. 

"Welcome to Unreal Tournament! A tournament of pure blood and vengeance, please welcome the contestants. She might be knew, but does not mean she is weak, please welcome Trinity!" Trinity went up to the lift and turned to say goodbye to Dessloch but he was long gone. She frowned and activated the lift. Silence met her when she came into the light of the lamps. She came up to the stand, quietly as everyone stared at her, quiet as well. "(Sigh) Please also welcome the guy that have been trying his best all his life, Archon!" She heard how people booed at him. _Well isn't he famous??_ She thought and saw a guy that was almost her size. His face was pure goodness and she can't see why would he join the tournament, people like him would surely be crushed. He seemed to have shame on his face and came to the podium and looked at her and nodded for her to pick a map. She nodded as well and pushed down the button and looked at the screen which seemed to be a station is space. She wondered was that the map her father died at? She shook of her thoughts; she would not let them take over her. The past is over and done with she must let it go. "Looks like our friends are going into the Oblivion! Good luck to them!"

The same wavy circles went around her and Archon that used to go around her father…no she want think about it. She appeared in the map and waited for it to start. "The match will start in…5…4…3…2…1, begin." She appeared what seemed to be like a cargo room with metal boxes which seemed to be open in the back, so she ran up to them and saw the Flak Cannon. She picked it up and took a few of the ammo with her. She looked at the three ways she could go, down a ramp on the left or right, or straight into the corridor. She chose left and saw some rocket launcher ammo. She ran up to it and heard someone fire of a shot at her. She turned to see where it came from and saw a rocket heading straight for her. She rolled towards her left and out of Archon's view as the rocket missed. She aimed and waited for him to come out as she crouched and ready to press the Secondary Fire. She saw him running for the same ammo she tried to pick up and aimed carefully and fired a ball of metal which hit him perfectly. "First Blood!" Trinity heard the announcer said. Trinity didn't taunt; she wasn't that cocky. She ran up to the Launcher that he dropped but did not equip it. She'll use it for long distant fights. 

She ran up a ramp behind her that was the opposite way she came from and entered a small area where the windshield could be scene. Trinity came up to the shield and watched through endless space and heard something appear right next to her legs and saw it was a Shock Rifle. Trish smiled and picked it up and someone had shot out a Flak Cannon through a hallway in the middle of the spaceship and three metals have hit her in the legs, making her fall to her knees. She shot her head up and saw Archon was cowering behind the column in the hallway and she smiled as she took the Shock Rifle she just picked up and shot a ball of plasma past the column and shot it with the lethal, blue beam, creating a large, electronic shockwave, which fragged Archon. Trinity couldn't help but say, "Sucker." 

She saw Archon get respawned right in front of her so she took out her Flak Cannon and shot him with all the metal with the Primary Fire, killing him instantly. His body parts flying in all possible direction as the metal ripped his flesh apart into tiny pieces like a razor blade. Trinity was squinted as blood flew across her face and she was surrounded by Archon's flesh. 

Dessloch was right, Archon is a rookie, and probably **_is_** the weakest in the tournament. It all makes sense now, why the whole stadium booed him and she felt sorry for him, people like him only get used. Trinity turned on her X-Ray vision on her glasses and smiled when she set her eyes on her prey…

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            Dessloch was in his room in his sweat pants with his bare chest, punching the punching bag with all of his might. He couldn't take his mind of Trinity. Something was bothering her, he knew it, he wasn't stupid. The problem is she is a kind of a person that does not share her problems with others and will keep it to herself until she solves the problem. He was worried about her because most of their leaders died because of the troubles that have bothered them. His father died because he was worried about Dessloch going into the Army when there was a war going on between the Skraaj Hybrid and the Humans. Dessloch survived the wars he went to but was arrested by his own people. 

            Dessloch was enraged, he still remembers it well, how he was ready to kill anyway who got in his way, and Xan welcomed his hatred. Dessloch is a man of 25 years who knew nothing but vengeance, madness, hatred and blood. There was no room for sadness anymore in him, no more room for love as well. He was like a killing machine, which will gladly take any missions, and now he's having these strange feeling for Trish, afraid that she is hurt. Why? He doesn't even know her. He just senses she is different than the rest. Dessloch kicked the punching bag this time, ignoring the thoughts. 

            Sweat poured down like rain as he gave more punches into the bag with all his might. His eyes set like the eagle's, he's strength concentrated like a real lion, and he stroke the bag fast like a snake. He moved his shoulders fast and deadly as the punches were enforced with his hard fist covered by a cloth which had blood seeping out. He punched harder, sharpening his cunning skills to a higher level, expanding his stamina and speed as he improved with each blow. "Ha!" He screamed out as he turned fully making a mid back spin kick making the punching bag break at the top of each chain and send it flying into the far back wall in his room. 

            He turned to look at the woman he hates the most come up to him and applaud at his perfect performance. "Nice, your getting better at every shot." "What the hell you want." He nearly barked at her and went over the sink to wash his face from sweat. "That little leader of yours won't help you. Why don't you join us?" He looked dead into her eyes. "Sorry, no such luck, you're done?" Just when she was about to answer he interrupted her. "Good, now get outta here, before I'll hit you." "You wouldn't dare. Remember, I got connection, blue boy." On that note she walked away. "Blue boy??" He asked arcing an eyebrow. "If you want to insult me you have to come with something better than that." She laughed and came up to him again and he squeezed his hand into a fist as she patted him on his cheek. "Don't worry. I will, one of these days." She smiled and he smacked her against her face, but she didn't fall. 

            He walked away from her and looked at his fist. He never hit a woman before, but than again, that witch was no woman. "I will pretend I didn't feel that, Dessloch. Hit me again and you'll see Matrix coming after your sorry ass. Remember, I'm also one of Xan's favorite. He won't hesitate to execute you on the spot rather than wait 'till you die in this tournament. The weak don't survive Dessloch, and you, unfortunately, fall into that category. That is all, good luck, you'll need it." She murmured the last three words and walked out of his room. Dessloch hit the wall with his fist from anger and broke a piece of the brick off of it as blood drained down his arm. "One day…" Dessloch said particularly to no one. "I will kill Xan, even if I have to go to Hell with him. Just remember one thing, you witch. You are coming with us…" Dessloch took his bleeding knuckle with his other bloody hand and closed his eyes and welcomed the pain.

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            Trinity dodged to her left near the right ramp of the cargo room and shot off her 3 rockets straight into poor Archon who hadn't fragged her even once yet. "You have won the match!" The announcer said into her earphone and she made a victory dance and screamed out loud, "Let's Rock!" Like her father used to do. The waves surrounded them and they appeared back in the Arena, Archon lying on the floor. "Trinity is the winner!" The announcer said to everyone and people cheered her on!

            One match down, dozens to go, she thought to herself and walked down the lift she came from and saw Dessloch standing there smiling at her, wearing his sweat pants and a shirt over him with dressings over his knuckles. When she approached him he said, "Congratulations on surviving your fist match Trish." She smiled and hit him in the shoulder lightly. "First of all, you're too cocky," She said and looked deep into his eyes which showed nothing. "And second of all…" She smiled, "I never said you can call me Trish." He grinned at her response and they both walked out into the blue bunker. 

(a/n): Did you like this chapter?? Well in the next chapter, I'm planning Trish to fight to death matches in a row. The first one will be in the 'Stalwart' against Kryss and Calameth and the second one will be in 'Fractal' against Luthienne. By the way that girl that approached Dessloch will be introduced in the next chapter.


	7. A Champion Rising

Disclaimer: I don't own UT.

(a/n): Hello, everybody! I'm back! Anyway thanks for reviewing this story. It's good to know some people are reading this! I will try to write as much as I can, but my teachers have no mercy! AHHHHHHHHHHHH! So I try to find free time to write so I don't think I will be doing updates as often but I will try. This chapter will not be in the Fractal and Stalwart. It will rather be one of the last 2 deathmatches. I thought that would be better because in the begging the bots just suck! So I will use the last matches as challenges for Trish. Well enjoy, ^_^

Chapter7: Champion Rising

            Luther was sleeping in his room, halve-dead, halve-alive. His team have gave him a nightmare last night and he feels terrible. Someone knocked on his door and he kept sleeping. "Luther? Wake up, damn it!" He heard Mariana call out to him. "It's 11:42 o'clock! We're going to be late!" Luther opened one eye and looked at the door which seemed to be blurry. "Go away." He murmured. "Luther! But we have to go and get ready for the Domination." Luther closed his eye and sighed, "I'm not going. I hate domination." He heard someone kick his door open and saw Boris and Mariana come in. "Just look at him. You think we over worked him last night?" She asked Boris who laughed and said, "Well 999 domination points is a long match, when only one person is on the blue team." Mariana and Boris started to laugh. "Go away you two, I'm tired." "Aww." Mariana crouched next to his bed and pinched his cheek. "The almighty Dessloch is out of commission." Luther turned his back to them and covered his head with the blanket and heard them laugh again.

            "Look Luther, I know you're tired but Trinity is hitting the jackpot and she's already up to her pre-last match. You're lucky that you don't start right away but it'll be a good idea if you get ready just in case. Who knows, maybe it'll take her seconds to get up to the last matches." Boris said and tugged his shoulder. "Go away. I'm sleeping." Luther murmured through the blanket. "If only Trinity would have seen the real him." Mariana laughed. "Luther wake up, man." Boris tugged him again. "How old are you?" Luther perched out his head from the covers and squint his eyes from the light coming from the shades that Mariana is opening. "If you were up against 5 people in the domination alone, with Matrix on the Red Team 'and' you would have to get 999 points, you wouldn't even make it to 500 points." Luther said in a grumpy voice. "I see you have been talking to Kira, again. I told you to stay away from her. I know she thinks she's all that while she's nothing, still she has some good connections. So tell me did Matrix kick your ass?" Luther gave him one of his 'your-dead-meat' looks. (If only looks can kill, huh?) "Okay, okay, I guess he did, oh I mean, I mean, nothing, forget that." Luther was glowing red and Boris smiled at him like nothing happen. "Alright already, I apologize." Luther was still quiet and Boris decided to keep on teasing him. "Anyway, what kind of an idiot will try to win that match. I mean that's suicide! I wouldn't even try." Boris said in a mocking voice. "How was I supposed to know?" Luther said as he sat up. "You told me, you, Kyla, Marian and Arachne are coming. Plus you told me it was 200 points. (a/n: in UT the first domination matches were not like in UT2003. You had to touch as many control points as you can and you are given one point every 5 seconds you are in control of that control point. The more control points you control, the faster your score increases.) You did that on purpose. Now I'm tired, so go away." Boris chuckled and messed up his already messed up hair. "Ahh…Luther, you're so much fun." Luther pushed his hand away and his head under the covers again.

            Boris sighed and stopped himself from pulling the covers all the way down to the floor. That will wake him up for good. He was like an older brother to Luther and the whole team is also like a family. Only they know the real him. Others think of him as a real criminal. "Alright Luther, you can be a baby and sleep until the cows come home or you can be Dessloch and see how your leader is kicking everybody's ass! Your choice." Luther stared at him awkwardly and he left with Mariana, leaving the door broken.

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            Trinity appears in the Conveyor Belt against 6 people. Right now she was alone and she needs to get a gun fast. She heard a rocket sent towards her way and hit the ground hurting her from the impact. She whirled her head around and found no one but she did see two health packs on the right side of the belt. She saw Barktooth jump down in front of them and fire another rocket and she strafed to her left and he disappeared behind the belt.  Trish went to her right again to find him but found no one. "Where is he?" _Tsshh!_ Another rocket missed Trinity by an inch as she turned around and started to shoot Barktooth with her Enforcer. 5 shots hit him directly and then he ran to his left behind the belt again. Trinity backed up to be nearer to the two the health packs just in case. She saw something in the corner of her right eye and she fired one shot and hit Barktooth in the hand. He came into view and fired of 2 rockets at her. Trinity's eyes widened, she didn't know which way to dodge. Trish tried to move to her left but one rocket hit her directly. "Oof." She screamed as she fell pain travel through her body. She aimed at Barktooth who was loading his Rocket Launcher and the bullet went into his head, killing him. "First Blood!" The announcer said as she picked up his rocket launcher and was disappointed when she saw the ammo supply. 7 rockets left, no good, she needs to find a new weapon soon. She ran up to the health pack and felt relieved as pain diminished. 

            A bullet went into her head and she cried out in pain as another bullet zipped by her head. She turned to see Barktooth again, standing there like a target practice. She aimed her launcher and fired off one perfect shot which hit him directly, blowing him to pieces. "That had to hurt." She taunted and went to her left following a hallway with red lights and into the open. She came up to the two health packs and ran down the ramp which contained the vials. Unfortunately for Trish someone already picked them up and was fighting a war with Arys, the woman she fought in the previous match. Trinity smiled at the two and fired off two rockets and killed both of them at the same time. "Double Kill!" Trish wheeled around and went back in to the open and saw Toe Cutter with his green uniform, firing at someone who's on the upper level. She aimed and fired but missed because he seemed to notice her. He turned his attention to her and fired of his Minigun at her. She hid behind the wall and decided to power up her last four rockets into one shot. She counted as she heard the rockets roll by in her Launcher. _1…2…3…4._

She quickly faced Toe Cutter and fired of the rockets, leaving steam and gas behind. "Argh!" He screamed and was blown to tiny pieces, blood splattered against the bridge's floor and ceiling. She quickly ran up to the Minigun he left and equipped it fast as her eyes were set on her next prey. She fired of at Andrew as she ran across the bridge and killed him before she got to him. Trish touched the side of her glasses and looked up the score. She fragged 5 bots and everybody only fragged once. She was leading, that was good news.

            She heard footsteps in the back of her and so she turned only to find Barktooth again, rounding one of the metal columns. She quickly eliminated him with her Minigun which pierced through his Shield Belt. "Tag, you're it!" She taunted him and followed the dead body to the first floor as she jumped down, picking up the rocket launcher, ready to frag her next victim, Nikki, who was going down the Conveyer Belt. Trinity opened fired and Nikki seemed to jump on the left side of the belt and try to escape through the left hallway which led to a lava pit. Fire zipped passed Trish as she jumped on the belt and decimated her. She turned her attention to another shooter and so Arys covering behind a wall next to the lift. Trinity shot out her last round and switched to her Rocket Launcher and fired of one rocket as someone else fired away two. Arys was blown apart into pieces as blood splattered across her face and the impact hurling her away. "Nailed 'em." She heard Andrew say behind her and she thought she was next.

            She turned around and checked all of the bridges on the floor but could not find him. She quickly back paddled as the Razor Blades swiftly scraped off the walls missing her face. Trish turned around and appeared next to a ramp which led to the Health Packs and behind the ramp suppose to be the Shield Belt. "HMM!" Trinity saw Arys jump from the upper wall's opening as she picked up the Shock Rifle. One rocket was all that it took, to slaughter her opponent. "Loser." She said and walked around the ramp and saw that the Shield Belt was gone. She ran up the ramp, picking up the Health Packs and the Shock Rifle Arys left her and went up the second hallway. She heard a lot of collision of rockets against the walls, she stopped and crouched and waited for it to stop. She didn't want to get caught in a firestorm. "Eat that!" Ice Weasel's voice was heard as she heard his footsteps disappear. 

            She went up the slope and onto the bridge again and saw Arys firing off rockets straight at her. Trinity dodged and fired off her own as she watched her jump down to the first floor and she missed her target as she ran away. Trinity was interrupted as Toe Cutter interfered with his Minigun. Trish fired two rockets at the floor to wheel him out but he stood his ground. She got frustrated and came around the corner and shot one rocket and hid behind the wall again. Toe Cutter advanced her with a Flak Cannon in his hand now. Trinity dodged backwards as few metals had hit her skin. She jumped backwards, shooting off two more rockets as pain hit her body hard.

            She saw Arys zip by her with the Shield Belt equipped and turn around to shoot at her. Trinity cursed silently and went down the ramp and out of the hallway into the open. She saw Toe Cutter fall from the bridges next to her and heard Arys taunt at him. Rockets flew in different directions and the noise of death filled her ears as she quickly jumped her way to an access ramp and picked up the health vials as she went up. She quickly turned to her left and found green beam in her face. "Ugh!" Trish hid behind the wall again. She heard the footsteps coming her way so she went down the ramp to give her space to fire the Launcher. Nikki came into view as she linked her Plasma Gun into her. Trish strafed left to right and finally one of her rockets' impact killed Nikki. "RAMPAGE!!!" Trinity felt blood dripping from her as she checked her status. Not good, she only has 26 percent of life left; she needs to power up fast.

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            _Come in, Trish, your health is dropping._ Dessloch thought as he watched the match with his team. "I hope she knows where the storage room is." Mariana said worryingly. They watched her pass the catwalk above the lava pit. A rocket went passed her and Mariana covered her eyes. Trinity turned around and fired off her rocket launcher as she kept back paddling towards the room. Dessloch saw Toe Cutter fly into the wall and slide down to the floor and stay there, dead. Trinity turned around and went into the room which lead into the command room. Trinity picked up the four Health Vials and the Minigun with ammunition which she switched too. She exited through the left and went by the lava pit into a tiny hallway which included two Health Packs. Trinity picked them up and Dessloch calmed down a little as he saw her Health increase. He saw her open fire at Ice Weasel and she fragged him before she got up to the lift and into the cargo room. "She's good." Boris said as her turned off the TV. "Hey, we were watching that!" Mariana said as she tried to wrestle Boris for the remote control. "We have to get ready. She will win shortly and go into the last map, the 'Peak'. We have to be ready so we can do a good job on the Domination. So move it!" "You're not my father to tell me what to do!" She jumped up to get the remote control but Boris raised it higher. "This is Kyla's orders. Don't you wonder where she is? She's practicing like we should right now. Don't worry, she'll win, I know she will. I have fate in her." Mariana stopped annoying Boris and looked at Dessloch who only shrugged. "Oh alright. Fine." She walked out of the living room. "This includes you too, Luther." Boris walked out with the remote control.

            Luther sighed and sat back into the couch and closed his eyes and said. "Yep, you're real good, Trish." "Better than me?" Luther widened his eyes as he saw the same witch that he hit last night. "What do you want?" He asked her and got up. "Hope you enjoyed the domination match last night. I sure enjoyed it." She said to him but didn't walk up to him. "What do you want, Kira, I'm sick of you!" "And I'm sick of you and you're leader who's fragging everybody on the spot. She's good, yeah, but she's not better. You better stop her, before she gets up to the top too fast and dies just like everyone of your leaders." Kira said and walked out the room. "I'm going to kill her one day…" Dessloch said as he clutched his fists.

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            Trinity jumped down from the 2nd bridge next to the little hallway that connected the belt and the lava pit. She ripped Ice Weasel to shred with her Flak Cannon as Toe Cutter jumped right on top of the dead body and opened fired with his Minigun. Trinity fired off at him as every metal ripped through his body and cut him to pieces. "Double Kill!" She heard rockets fly her way and she escaped into the command room again, powering up with the Health Vials. She needed one more frag and she will be the winner but her Health is not that good. Trinity went up one of the ramps and into the hallway that connected the catwalks above the lave pit. "Oh, yeah!" She heard Andrew taunt and at the same time Arys was respawned right in front of Trinity's face and she smiled. She ripped her to pieces with her Flak Cannon and taunted, "I'm sorry did I blow you're head apart?" "Congratulation, you are the winner!" She heard the announcer say and she made a victory dance screaming through the whole Conveyer, "Let's Rock!"  

(a/n): So what did you think? Was this what you all waited for? A real match? Well I hope so. Just tell me if you want me to continue writing like this or if you want me to stick to my old style. You tell me. Review plzz.


	8. A Trustworthy Friend

Disclaimer: Don't own UT.

Claimer: Lookie here…Tanya and Jack is mine!?? Yay!! 

(a/n): You don't know how glad I am that you enjoyed my fight in the Conveyor. Tell you the truth; I hate that map and the Peak as well. I hate the Conveyor because there are just too many people there!!! I hate the Peak because if you make one wrong move or if your opponents happened to use a shock rifle, the ripper, or the rocket launcher then bye-bye, you find yourself floating forever towards the bottom and then you die. Grrr. They made that map on purpose. Anyway, enough with my blabbering and on with the story. By the way, Luther and Dessloch is the same person. Luther is his real name and Dess is his code name.  Well enjoy. ^_^  

Chapter8:  A Trustworthy Friend

            "Blue team wins the match." The announcer's voice echoed through the whole Sesmar arena. Trinity did her victory dance again and screamed, "Lets Rock!" The two teams, the Blood Reavers and the Red Claw appeared in the arena of the wild crowd. The ugly Skraaj Hybrids were heavily wounded from the blast of the match. Trish had won another match but she didn't care, right now she had to take care of her team, they were badly wounded as well. 

            "Trinity!" Trinity turned around at Kyla's voice and saw Boris was hurt the most. He was breathing heavily and his left side was completely injured. "Aahhh!" He screamed out loud when the doctors touched his left arm. "Damn it." Trinity said and came up to him. He really had a tough fight. The Hybrids were very powerful creatures and it was dangerous when they got to close. Fortunately Trinity was all right, a few ribs are sour but that's all that's wrong. Mariana and Kyla had broken ribs and Luther had a sour arm. He pulled it out of the socket by accident but he fixed the problem himself. 

            "We need to get him to a hospital fast." The doctors carefully put him on the exam table and rolled him away. Trinity looked at the Hybrids with anger and saw that they actually were staring at her. Dominator, the leader of the goddamned team, came up to her and swung a punch at her face but froze when Luther's rocket launcher was shoved into his face. "The match is over." He said in a deadly voice. "If you disagree tell me now, so I can blow your brains out." The Hybrid stumbled backwards and looked at Luther and mumbled something in his language. Luther cocked the trigger and smiled. "Don't worry, I will be ready." Luther said and the Hybrid was astonished to see that he understood what he said. He turned around and walked back to his team.

            Luther dropped the rocket launcher and the security took it as they were escorted to the blue bunker. "Thank you." Trinity said to Luther and he nodded. "Hey, you are our leader after all. We all have fate in you. Remember, we are a family now." Trinity smiled but Luther didn't see the smile because of the mask and the glasses she wore. 

            Her room was quiet and dark when she came in. Not one sign of nature or life. Trinity turned on the lights and closed the door and dropped her backpack where she carries the weapons on her couch. Trinity came up to the large windows that were in the back wall of her living room and closed the shutters. She sighed and sat on her couch, which was opposite of her backpack, near a stand where the telephone was sitting with the answering machine. No messages, just what she likes. Trinity closed her eyes and leaned back her head as she thought about the match they had. 

The Skraaj Hybrids were like murderers. They were giants with speed of a fox and strength of a bull. Their intelligence was high and they were skilled warriors. There were rumors that these creatures were experimented on by humans when the mix their DNA with the humans but she's not sure. 

The match they competed in today was horrible. It was long, hard and unbelievable. The Hybrids kept in tie with her team and her team barely won by 20 points more. The Hybrids were good in team tactics and they worked well as a team. They were spread across the map near the control points her team was after. The Hybrids also used their size to crush her team. For example, when Trinity was about to be blown to bits and peaces by Berserker's rocket launcher Boris came from the behind and shot him in the head. Boris was then crushed by the two Hybrids and was then picked up by his feet and thrown into the air and they fragged him there, when he was vulnerable. Trinity tried to save him but Pestilence got in the way and she had to escape with her translocator to the upper bridge where the Big-Health stood. 

Guilt crawled over to Trinity. If she only would've acted faster, Boris would never be hurt, it is all her fault and she is the leader. She must put her teammates first, her first priority as a true leader.

Trinity got up and shook of the feeling and took off her mask and glasses and put them on the dresser. She looked into the mirror and saw a shadowy figure behind her. Trinity ran for her backpack but she was tripped and was pulled back by her hair. "Ahh!" She screamed and hit the guy in the groin and he let her go. She turned around and hit him in the face with her knee but he didn't move at all. She saw it was a Hybrid and her heart screamed. "No…" She whispered and tried to run away but his strong hand grabbed her leg. "Let me go!" She screamed and hit him in the face with her other leg but all he did was snort and grab her other leg. "Help!" She screamed to the top of her lungs. He pulled her towards him and swung her across her dresser and it broke under her weight. 

She wailed as pain welcomed her. She stood slowly and looked at the creature through her bloody eyes. "So, you are Tanya Menace." He said slowly and started to come up to her. She crawled away and tried to grab anything she could find and it happened to be a piece of the mirror. She took it and stood up as she ran towards the back and saw him chase after her. 

His speed was unbelievable as he reached her fast and she slammed the mirror into his left eye with her free hand and he screamed. She crawled between his legs and ran for the living room again. She grabbed the phone and started to dial just when the Hybrid slammed through the wall and grabbed her by the neck. "Ooo." She gasped as her air was taken from her. "Hello? Hello?" Luther's voice could be heard from the phone and the creature smashed it with his foot. He looked into her eyes with his inhuman stare and chuckled. "Isn't Xan going to be amused?" "Xan?" She wailed and he started to laugh which filled her ears like death. He threw against the couch and it fell backwards onto its back. "Ahh!" She screamed and grabbed her ribs. "Somebody help me!" She wailed and crawled through a hallway and into her bedroom and ran for the window to jump out of it. 

The Hybrid grabbed her by her waist when she was in the midair. She screamed and hit him in the other eye with her fist and he threw into a wall and she slammed through it. She cried out in agony as she felt pain in her chest. She stood up in the kitchen and ran for the exit which was through the living room. She picked up her mask and glasses as she rolled and ran for the exit. The Hybrid slid towards her and blocked her escape and hit her in the face and her mask and glasses flew away and she fell to the ground. He stood over her and grabbed her by her long beautiful hair and pulled her back and hit her in the face again. She screamed out in agony when he stepped on her back and started to laugh like a devil. "Help!" She choked on her blood and her eyes began to darken with dark red blood. She cried and the Hybrid picked her up and threw against the glass coffee table and she screamed again. 

He came over to her and picked her up by her neck and pulled his other arm back to hit her. Trinity closed her eyes and heard a beam shot out and she was dropped to the floor. She saw Luther standing in the doorway his lethal weapon aimed perfectly at the Hybrid. She looked over at the Skraaj and saw an ugly wound in his chest that was fried. He ran towards Luther and he fired off another shot and he flew back into the wall, breaking it, revealing her bedroom. He stood up so quickly and jumped at Luther and Luther ducked and backed away and the Hybrid tripped him with his long powerful leg. 

Luther fell and quickly rolled but the Hybrid was already on his advantage. He hit Luther in the stomach and took his weapon and fired it off into his leg. Luther screamed and fell on his knees. The Hybrid pointed it at his face and Luther's eyes widened and Trinity ran into the Hybrid, making him miss. She fell with him and the Hybrid hit her in the face with the Shock Rifle and she screamed as she rolled across the floor. 

Luther hit the Shock Rifle out of his hand and fell on the floor quickly and twisted the Hybrid's leg and made him double over. Luther rolled backwards and grasped the Shock Rifle and quickly jumped onto the Hybrid's chest, making him fall back again. Luther pointed the Rifle in his face and fired but the shock rifle was out of ammo. "Shit." Luther cursed and the Hybrid gripped his leg and threw him in the wall. Luther slammed into the wall and rolled against it and the creature was already running at him. Luther kicked of the wall, jumping high into the air and landed on the shoulders of the Hybrid with his knee. Luther forced him down to the floor and broke his neck using his knees. 

"Trinity!" He ran towards her and she hid her face as he grabbed her by the back of her waist. "Trish, it's okay it's me." He said as she punched him in the face and then his stomach and he groaned. She started to run away from him but Luther jumped and reached her legs and she fell along with him. He climbed up towards and held her in his strong grasp. "Trish what's wrong with you? Are you alright?" "Let me go!" She screamed and struggled in his grasp and he seized her harder. "Trinity, god damn it, it's me Dessloch." She struggled more and he picked her up and she shrieked kicking him everywhere. "Ow." He said innocently and dropped her on the bed in the bedroom. He stopped dead when he saw her face and she stopped struggling when she realized her identity was revealed. "Menace? Tanya Menace?" He said and stared straight into her eyes. She looked at him in despair. "That's right. I'm Menace." He looked at her and smiled and she was confused. "Well then, aren't you happy that the Hybrid is dead?" She looked at him and understood that he won't tell anyone. She smiled and said, "Yeah, I am." She hugged him and he hugged her back. Finally Tanya found someone to rely on. "Thank you." She whispered in his ears and he nodded and pulled back. "Come on, you better clean up, we have the last Domination match to go through." She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, lets do that."                   

(a/n): So what did you think? You like it? In the next chapter I will write the Domination match Trish will attend to, the one and only Metal Dream, the last match of the Domination ladder and the hardest to accomplish. Trinity will finally learn to give and receive. She will finally trust her team as though it really was her family, starting from Dess. Review plzz. ^_^ 

-Lacrease Menasea


	9. A Betrayal So Soon

Disclaimer: Don't own UT

Claimer: Trish and Jack belong to me.

(a/n): Okay, Fun, I won't let you wait long. Tell you the truth I am enjoying writing this myself. You really know how to interpret stories don't you. Well, that's good. Just read on and you will see how will it all happen. Okay, enough with my blabbering.  

Chapter9: A Betrayal So Soon

            "Well come on. You better clean up, the last Domination match is coming soon." He said to Trinity and she looked into his yellow eyes and smiled. "Yeah, let's do that." Dessloch nodded slowly and then gave her a sincere smile and started to walk away. Trinity quickly ran up to him and pulled him towards her as she hugged him again. What Dessloch didn't realize was the knife she held as she ran up her hand up to his spine. "Dessloch?" She asked and looked deep into his eyes and he seemed to be totally confused. "Yes?" He asked arcing his right eyebrow. "I want you to promise me something. Promise me you won't tell anyone" He looked at her again and smiled, "I promise." He said and caressed her soft cheek. 

She smiled and then harshly pushed him against the nearest wall, surprising him by her action as she put her knife against his throat and looked deep into his eyes with anger. "What…what are you doing?" He said and she shut him up when she pressed harder and blood escaped from his perfect skin, painting her dagger with rich red blood. "You think I'm blind don't you." She whispered carefully and pressed harder. "I'm not stupid. You know how many times I have been betrayed? More than I can count. I know everyway that was used and there is no way of tricking me now. I thought I could trust since the beginning but now, you have lost your loyalty, Dessloch." Dessloch seemed to panic as he looked into her eyes. "Trish, what are you talking about?" She got angrier and hit him in the stomach with her knee, hard. "Never call me, Trish, EVER. Don't play innocent with me. You work for Xan, admit it. It was all a set up! You made a scene in the beginning on purpose. He had an eye on me since the beginning, didn't he? Come on admit it." She chuckled but didn't let her eyes travel off of his.

"It can hardly be a coincidence, can it? I mean, you meeting me there in the front desk when I decided to join. I mean, why would Xan care what I want. Why did he agree with me and decided to give you a room instead of a cage! How did you find me in the maze of the blue bunker, anyway? How did you know that the creature would attack me? I haven't called out you're name, you haven't even heard my voice and yet you came, with a gun." She said in a whisper, pressing the blade harder into his throat and Dessloch kept silence as he watched her in horror. "That was too easy, how you defeated that creature! I don't know one human being that can destroy them like this! And now you promise you won't tell anyone?" She smiled and started to laugh. "Well guess what, Dessloch, I'll make sure you'll keep that last promise of yours." 

Dessloch's eyes widened as he screamed his last words, "Trinity, wait, don't, I can—" Dessloch's voice was cut off when she stabbed him in the stomach. Dessloch coughed on his words as he slowly put his hands on the wound and fell on his knees and he looked up at her. "Trinity? Why?" He whispered very lowly and fell to the ground, face down. "I'm sorry." She slowly said. She went out into the bathroom and cleaned her dagger as she slowly looked at it, as it shined off every time light instantly hit it. She gulped and closed her eyes as tears went down. 

Dessloch did save her, but only to watch her more. She knew he was a spy; there was no doubt about it. Xan must have not sent that creature. The Hybrid must have come here from anger that he lost. She just realized it was Dominator. That creature that was angry with her because his team has lost for the first time. 

Trinity wiped off hands from blood and dried them. She went outside into the living room and picked up her mask and glasses as she looked carefully at Dominator. She closed her eyes and put on her accessories and went into the kitchen to call her team. 

            She heard Kyla pick up with her cheery voice. "Hi, Kyla? I have somethi—" Trinity shut her mouth as she felt a cold barrel against her head. "Trinity? Are you there?" Kyla's voice was heard. "Trinity?" "Tell her that you coming to the next match soon." Dessloch's cold voice boomed behind her. Trinity kept silent and she heard Dessloch turn his weapon on. "Now." He said and pushed it harder in her head. "Trinity? Hello?" "Yeah, Kyla, I'm coming. I'll be there soon. Bye." Trinity said with a shaky voice and heard Kyla agree and Dessloch took the phone from her and turned it off. 

            "You have a lot of explanation to do, Menace." He said as he took her by her arm and guided her to sit on the couch that was still standing. "Sit there." He said and she sat and looked into his cold, hurt eyes. She looked into his wound and it didn't look good. He was supporting it with his left hand as he pointed the Magnum in her face. "Dessloch, please." She begged as she looked into his angry eyes. "Why?" He asked her. "Why did you do this to me? What did I do wrong?" She didn't say anything. She was afraid to say anything, knowing that whatever she will say will not make him happy. But Trinity cannot take it anymore; she had to fight for herself. "So its true?" She asked him and he looked confused again. "You really are a spy." Dessloch's eyes widened, as he seemed mortally wounded. "I'm a what?" He asked her and looking dead into her eyes. "Is this what's it all about? You really thought I was a spy? No, no. I'm not a spy Trinity—" "A true spy would never say he is a spy." She said, interrupting him and made him shut up for good.

            "Damn it, Trish, what's wrong with you? I thought you believed in me." He said as he looked hurt. "I did, but that's what you wanted to take advantage. You thought I was blind." She said and lowered her head. "Yes you are blind! You are blind to see that I took a liking in you and decided to help you and you take me for a spy! So, what, no one is allowed to help you?" She looked straight into him at his words as he confused her as well. "Trinity, I just wanted to help you. I know what it's like to be against the world but I trusted my team. I trust them with my life! And this is how you trust me?" He exclaimed loudly as his voice broke. "See you in the domination match." He said and dropped the gun to the floor which surprised her. "You can pick up this gun and shoot me in the back, or just let me leave and clean up so I can participate in the match." 

            Tears welled up in Trinity's eyes as she watched him walk towards the exit. Trinity looked at the gun, lying on her red carpet that was absorbed in blood and quickly ran for the gun and pointed it at his head. "Don't move Dessloch." She cried out loud and he turned around to look at her. "You know you can't do it, Trish." He said and she started to cry. "I told you not to call me Trish anymore." She started to cry and saw him walk away and she collapsed on the floor and dropped the gun and started to cry so much, for a reason she never ever cried for before. Trinity felt confused and hurt. "Daddy, please, help me and guide me. I don't know what's right anymore."

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            The crowds roared through the stadium of fire and lights as the two last teams that are the last winners of all the matches, waited to be called. "Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to the Unreal Tournament Arena! Tonight's match will be the last kind of Domination and the team winner proceeds to the Capture the Flag Tournament! Tonight's almighty teams are the undefeatable Dark Phalanx!" The crowd cheered for the team as they came up and beckoned at the crowds to cheer them on more. 

            "Their contestants of course are the Bloody REAVERS!!! The one and only team that won every match and every battle and each of their leaders gone up to the Championship Ladder Arena! Today's new leader is Trinity. Let's hope she will lead a winning strike for her entire team!" The crowds went wild when Trish and her entire team stepped foot on the enormous arena as the crowds chanted, "Reavers, Reavers, Reavers, Reavers!" Her team kept cool and did not beckon or even pay attention to the crowd. They were professionals; they don't need to do it.

            Trinity didn't know what to think about Luther, she feels so lost. She looked over to Luther and he seemed to be staring straight back at her and he didn't look too happy. He must still be angry with her but she doesn't blame him. She did try to kill him when he only tried to help her. But she won't stay blind, she still has a feeling that he is a spy but she has her doubts. 

            Ivana, the leader of the Dark Phalanx, came up towards the stand and so did Trinity. They shook hands and Ivana slammed the button, hard. The television screen above them showed a magnificent map of a huge oilrig that stood above the ocean of the oil. "Looks like our teams are heading for Metal Dream! Good luck to them, that is one of the hardest maps to master!"

            Trinity appeared outside of the rig next to the elevator 3 that led up almost 10 stories up to the middle level where almost all the weaponry is. "Boris, cover me. As for everyone else, engage according to operational parameters. Move out." Trinity gave out orders as she ran up the lift and the round coils past by her as she went up. "Got it, blue leader." Boris has said and the rest of the team acknowledged her as well.   

            The elevator stopped and she ran into the control room number 4 and saw the walls moving and realized it was Ivana running straight at her with a sniper rifle and invisibility equipped. Trinity quickly jumped away as she lost sight of Ivana. She jumped onto the higher platform and disappeared through one of the portals as she heard Ivana equipped the most deadly weapon, the Flak Cannon and fired of two shots. 

            "Control Point is secured." She heard Kyla say as Trish ran up to the sniper rifle of the rooftop of one of the highest towers and ran back into the portal to destroy Ivana. Trinity jumped out and found Ivana right in her face and fired off her Flak Cannon and made Trish fall into the wall of the control center. _Shit._ Trinity thought when she just realized she has 6 percent health left. Trinity ran behind the wall and felt a pain in her heart as Farham taunted her, "Burn, baby." Trinity fell on the floor and he ran over her.

            She heard Boris run up to her, "Trinity, are you alright?" He stood up and fired off his enforcer at the two as Trinity respawned in one of the corridors out side where all the control points are. She heard a redeemer blast through the halls and saw a message written in her glasses that Boris was vaporized by Ivana as she killed herself as well. 

            Trinity ran to her left and then to her right and picked up the GES bio rifle and heard the commotion somewhere on this level. _Why do I always get so many crappy weapons?_ Trish thought as she ran to her right. The control point near the Crane was controlled by her team so she turned right again and past a very tiny walk way that led to the boxes. A control point stood there and Trinity touched it and said, "Control point is secured." She turned around and saw Boris running up to her with a minigun and he nodded. "Don't worry, I've got you're back." Trish smiled but Boris couldn't see that nice smile of hers. 

            Trinity ran past the tiny walkway and the Crane into the helipad next to another lift behind 2 boxes on the left of the helipad as she noticed the helipad was occupied by red. Trinity fired off her bio rifle into Ivana's back and killed her fast as she took her on surprise and touched the symbol. "Control point is secured." She said and translocated onto the left box where the shield belt sat and jumped onto the other box and picked up some ammo for the Flak Cannon and jumped down to pick up the rocket launcher as Boris stood next to the control point, waiting for her to come down.

            Trinity ran up to Boris and a rocket hit her face and she fell down into the oil, taking her life away. Trinity quickly swam towards the platform where the elevator 3 stood. She heard Ivana taunt at Boris as she blew him up with her rocket launcher. "I'm growing tired of her." Trinity mumbled under her breath as she ran up the lift and into the control room again.

            She bumped into Nikita who was picking up the flak cannon and fired of her one rocket. Nikita dodged it and tried to run away from her and Trish fired of another, missing Nikita again. Just when she was about to fire again she realized she was out of ammo. She equipped the bio rifle and was frustrated because she only had five shots left. _Just great._ She thought and slimed her with the disgusting waist. Trinity switched to her double enforcers but Nikita was dead by then as Boris had finished her off. 

            "Thanks Boris." She said and he nodded as he ran for a better weapon and so did Trinity. Nikita respawned in the corner of the control point and she fired off her minigun as Boris took on Gorn that came up from lift 3 and died from his rocket. Trinity was angered and she switched her targets to Gorn and railed him with her bullets and quickly annihilated Nikita as well.

            She ran up to the Grav Boots that just appeared and she was soon surround by a lot of Dark Phalanx members. Trinity thought she was in big trouble but then a thought slipped her mind. She ran fast into the portal and saw the Invisibility standing on the tower. She equipped it and jumped down to the nearest roof. She did not die from the fall but she was badly hurt. Thanks to the Grav boots she was still alive. Trinity limped across the roof and down to where the helipad is and used the boots to quickly get the shield belt.

            She ran across the Crane and saw Ivana quickly dashing and touching the symbol. Trinity fired off without mercy with Boris' Flak Cannon and it took 3 shots to kill her. "Killing Spree!" The announcer said as Trinity picked up her minigun for more ammo and secured the control point. Trinity checked her health and wasn't too happy. Once the shield belt is gone, she's dead meat.

            She ran across the walkway and saw Boris was firing of into the lower windows. She quickly past him and touched the control point next to the boxes and spotted health in the far left corner against the wall, across another lift. Trinity made a running jump and jumped across the lift as she saw it was coming up from the lower level with Ivana in it. Trinity ran for the health as she made a quick turn and switched to her minigun and pressed the trigger as Ivana ran for the control point.

            Ivana made it to the control point and fired of her weapon, which happened to be a minigun as well, and ran to the boxes as she backed up against them. Trish ran around the lift not missing any sight of her as she kept firing off at her and killed her before Trinity even made contact with the control point. "Control point is secured." She said and saw Ivana sit against the boxes, dead. 

Trinity looked at the stats and saw the helipad was occupied by red and she ran towards the tiny hallway as she saw something purple. _Oh no. _Trish thought as she saw Nikita come out with a minigun behind the boxes from the corridor. Her minigun was glowing purple and that could only mean one thing. She had equipped the Damage Amplifier. Nikita boomed through the arena with the loud cutting ear noise as the bullets missed Trish by inches. She strafed from left to right and battered Nikita with her own minigun before she got up to the control point.

Trinity ran across the tiny walkway and by the Crane as she ran for the Helipad, expecting to see Ivana again. When she had made it across the Crane she saw the Boxes were occupied by Red now and Trinity grew tired of this. She ran faster towards the helipad and was surprised to see Gorn. She quickly fragged him before he even got a chance to shoot and said, "Control point is secured." "Control point is secured." She heard Boris say as it was written that he had killed Farham.

"I need some backup." Luther and Boris said it at the same time and Trinity ran fast towards the Boxes as she switched to the Flak Cannon and bumped into Farham who just respawned and was holding the GES bio rifle. She quickly eliminated him as he screamed very loud when she had hit his head off his shoulders. "I just slaughtered that guy!" Trinity said as she ran for the walkway and saw Ivana backpedaling towards the Crane. Trish killed her as well since she was concentrating on someone else. "RAMPAGE!" 

That wasn't the last frag she made. Gorn seemed to be shooting through the windows that led to the control center on the walkway as she tear through him faster then scissors cutting paper. She ran towards the control point where the boxes are and waited as she took a breather from the entire running. She heard the lift stop on this level and saw Ivana running out of the lift with a minigun. Trish quickly used the close range advantage and shred her to pieces with one shot.

Trinity switched to her minigun and started to fire at Nikita as she saw her running towards the Crane and Gorn seemed to be taking a ride on the Crane it's self and fired of his plasma gun that pushed her to the most lowest level, killing her.

All the points were occupied by red as she appeared in the corridor next to the bio rifle. She picked it up and ran towards the crane and was killed by Anna's Flak Cannon. _I need a better weapon._ Trish thought as she appeared in the control center. She picked up the Flak Cannon and ran to her left into another corridor which had a lift. She took the lift up and appeared next to the bio rifle and she ran towards the Crane, killing Anna and heard Kyla behind her. "Occupy this control point as I go after the Boxes." She said to her and ran towards the boxes.

Trinity wasn't stupid, she knew that someone was hiding behind the boxes, waiting for someone to come and try to frag them. Trinity strafed and killed Gorn as he fired of a grenade from his rocket launcher and hit her directly. "Oof." She said as she limbed past the lift and picked up the Health packs. She heard Boris fire of behind her and she turned to see Nikita and Ivana running towards the control point and she killed Ivana as Nikita pushed her off again and she died from the fall…again.

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            Xan watched the long battle between the two and Trinity seemed to play like any other rookie but then at the end of the match when her team had hit above 100 points she was unstoppable. She seemed to improve her team tactics and used the translocator as a survival tool. She translocated to rooftops to make shortcuts and surprise her opponent from the top as she killed them with one hit. She seemed to learn where was each weapon and power up because she was doing an unbelievable job. She ran faster as she had more stamina in her and her team was working with each other more. He noticed Boris pick up Trinity's moves as he too began using her tactics. Every time when she was pushed off the rig she tried to fall into the oil now which helped her survive many times. Trinity's aiming improved as well and he knew she was growing into a true champion and he was getting thoughts that she will have to fight him. She reminds him of someone but he's not sure whom. She has so much power and will in her it is obvious she wants to win for good.

Xan was also getting angry with Dessloch. He noticed how quietly he killed the opponents that were behind Trinity. He quietly helped her and she didn't even know. He can see that he cared for her and he doesn't like that one bit. 

"Matrix? Go talk to our friend, Dessloch, after the match. Remind him something." Xan said to his slave robot who nodded and walked away.

(a/n): Whew! That was a long chapter, one of the longest! Anyway, I did my best on it. Metal Dream is a very hard map I'm serious. Try playing it on experience and you will be falling off all the time. I hate that map! You also need 200 points for it!!! Sigh. Well plzz review and tell me what you think.


	10. A Healed Bond

Disclaimer: Don't own UT

Claimer: Trish and Jack are mine.

(a/n): Well I'm really glad you liked that chapter, everyone. All I have to say is read on and you will find out what will happen. Um, I have a question for you Fun. You said you have UT2003, right? Metal Dream is only in UT, how can you play it in UT2003? So just keep that in mind. Metal Dream is the final domination map in the domination ladder of UT, okay? Alright on with the story. Enjoy! ^_^

Chapter10: A Healed Bond 

            Trinity was walking through the blue bunker, holding up her domination medal. She was so proud of herself. She is getting her dream accomplished and before she knows it, she will be facing Xan in combat. She will do her best and make sure she will give him Hell. Trinity nodded and smiled, she will avenge her father after all. 

            All these years she suffered, she will not back down now. When he has killed her father it was the same as if he took her own life. Trinity had to grow up on her own and without anyone to love. But then again, there was Dessloch. He seemed to be so…so sincere to her since the first day she came in. She did think he is a spy but she's not too sure. His whole team made her feel at home and she does feel like she belongs here. When she will win this tournament she will free her team because she does not believe they are criminals. Like Dess said, some are threw in the tournament for fun.

            Trinity rounded a corner and was nearing her room. She put a key in and turned it. "What do you think you are doing?" She heard a hushed voice down the hall and round a corner. Trish carefully came up and listened. "Xan send you in to spy on her not to help her!" Trinity carefully peeked and only got to see a robot with a big gun which seemed like a rocket launcher and he was pointing it at someone. Trinity flattened herself against the wall and her heart started to beat faster. "The sooner you get rid of her the faster you will gain your freedom!" 

            Trinity listened in closer and knew Xan was behind this. "Listen, why don't you pick someone else, huh? You want her out because you know she'll beat Xan. Well if she'll beat Xan I gain my freedom anyway, I don't see your point." Trinity's heart broke the minute she heard Dessloch's cold and clear voice. _So he really is a spy._ She thought. A tear welded up in her eye and she felt torn apart. She covered her mouth with her hand to prevent herself to be heard as she listened on. 

            "You think you are a smart ass don't you? Well guess what Dessloch. The deal is off. Maybe we'll kill both of you. First we will kill her, slowly in front of you and then we will torture you for eternity!" The machine barked back. "Oo, Matrix. You are taking this seriously." A woman's voice purred. "He can still help us out. Either he likes or not." "Your out of your mind." Dessloch's voice snarled. "Sorry, handsome. But we are not out of our mind. You are. We offered you freedom but you spit it back in our faces." The woman chuckled. "Let's go Matrix, we have a lot to tell to Xan. See you around, sweetheart." "God damn you!" Dessloch exclaimed and she heard him hit a wall. "Your property not ours." The woman said and she heard them all walk away.

            Trinity came into view and saw Dessloch sitting against a wall looking at his hands. "I was right all along." She said, startling Dessloch. "You mean, you heard? I'm sorry Trish. I really am." He shook his head in despair. "You lied to me!" Her eyes started to fill up with tears. "This was all about you all along, wasn't?" She looked at the medal she just received. "So what was this for? Just to make me feel confident!?" She threw the medal on the floor and made a loud noise. "Trinity, you got it all wrong. I—" "No you got it all wrong! It's over. There is no such thing as a team anymore, Dessloch!" She threw her hands down her side. "Goodbye!" She stomped away. 

            "No Trish, wait!" Dessloch ran up to her and grabbed her by her shoulders and turned her around. "You can't quit!" "And why not?" "Because, because…" He looked into her eyes. "It's your destiny, Trish. You are the righteous leader to the thrown, like your father before you." She slapped him hard. "You don't know anything about my father nor my destiny. And never ever, ever call me Trish again! Ever!" She got out of his grip and ran away. "Trish, wait!" She kept running, ignoring his callings. She was so hurt, just when she started to trust him.         

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            Trinity was in the Liandri Park and it was dusk. The sun was setting and the moon was rising. Trinity sat on the bench and cried her eyes out. She gave him so many chances and Dessloch turned out to be a spy after all. "Why? Why?" She whispered quietly and continued to cry. "Trinity?" Trish looked up and saw Boris standing beside her. "Oh, hi Boris." She looked away into the sky. "Mind if I sit down?" He asked her and she nodded. "Sure." 

            He sat down and sighed. "What's bothering you?" She looked at him and shrugged. "I…" She sighed. "Boris, for how long do you know Dessloch?" He seemed surprised but than he looked into the sky himself. "Well, I met him since he was 19 years old. That's…five years ago. He was too serious for his age. But than when I learned his history I can understand why he's like that. He is a very trusting young man and it is really hard to gain his trust. He trusts no one, after his betrayal of his best buddies when he was 18. 

"You see he fought a war against the Skraaj Hybrids. They are very powerful creatures and he was drafted in his homeland. He fought well; he won many battles and saved many of his people. He knows how to handle the creatures and their weakest points. He once told me that tripping them is the best way. He told me it's best to be on top of them while tripping them because they topple over like towers. He also knows their language as he was a prisoner once but he escaped. Sadly he could have never escaped this imprisonment. 

"Even though he was one of the best, he was an enemy as well. You see his father, Kiel Loner, was once a leader of the blue team. 

"His father was a very strong man and was very proud of his son. He believed that he could free the people in the tournament. He went up against Xan but then at the same time his son was drafted into the army and Kiel was very worried. Xan used it as a distraction and killed off Luther's father. Xan then feared that Luther will come for vengeance and so he enslaved him by false evidence. Luther had to fight for his life ever since.

"This is similar to almost all of us Blood Reavers. We created this group for fame and fortune. We wanted to get back what was stolen from us. Our fathers were all great warriors and they did not deserve to die. But Luther was different. He did not care about all that. He wanted his freedom and to avenge his father's death. Luther already had no heart and he would stop at nothing at killing Xan and freeing everyone, just like his father wanted to do.

"Luther is a good kid, he really is. He might seem like a guy who doesn't care about anything but himself. It also might seem like he is a cold-blooded killer and he doesn't follow orders. But really, he is a kid with a very good heart and he cares a lot. But before he is going to show you his real side, you have to gain he's trust and that is a hard part. What's harder is that you have to keep your trust and if you won't, well…he will never trust you again."

"What happened to his eyes? Why are they yellow?" Trinity asked as she leaned over and looked at Boris. "Well, like I have mentioned before, he fought wars. The Hybrids also used weapons and one of them happened to be a flash bomb. He got blind from it, of course, and he couldn't see. The only option was to operate on his eyes with a surgical laser. It fixed his vision but it changed his eye color. Well, I can't say changed, more of like faded his color. He used to have bright blue eyes just like the sky's." 

Trinity nodded and looked into the fully dark sky were the stars gazed over the sky with moon rays spreading over the grass. A fog could be seen, very near the ground making it look ghostly. "Well." Boris got up and stretched. "Tomorrow is a big day, you better get a good amount of sleep because tomorrow comes the Capture the Flag Arenas. My favorite, by the way." He said playfully and smiled. "Well, 'till next time, Trinity." He nodded and walked away into the Liandri building. 

Trinity sat there, watching the fog spread over grass. She never knew Luther's history was this bad. It kind of reminds her of her. She joined the tournament because she wants to avenge her father's death. And now, she feels like freeing all the people as well. 

Trinity got up and wondered around in the night. She walked and stared at the sky and saw a shooting star fly by. Trish smiled and wished that she would avenge her father's death. She closed her eyes and let herself get lost in the wind. It kicked and blew through her long hair. She twirled in the wind and extended her hands outwards as she kept spinning slowly, staring into the stars. She got dizzy and fell backwards on the grass and closed her eyes as she breathed the fresh air.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Trinity shot opened her eyes and stared at Dessloch as he stood 5 feet away from her. "What are you doing here?" She got up and pushed her hair back. "The question is, what are you doing here?" He turned around to look at her and he wasn't too happy. "What do you want from me, Dessloch?" She put her hand in her other and put them near her chest as she pleaded. "Your trust." He simply said and came up to her. "Do I even have your trust?" She turned around and folded her arms.

She shivered when she felt him come up to her and hug her shoulders. "My trust? What does it look like?" She turned to look at him and he smiled. "Don't answer my questions with questions, Dessloch! I hate that!" She stomped her foot and Dessloch's smile dropped like bricks off the building. "Alright, fine." He sighed. "If you want a straightforward answer, then yes you do. You have my trust." He came up to her and she stepped back. 

"Trish, if you'll only let me explain." He looked hurt again, his yellow eyes crying for something. "Never call me Trish, Dessloch, ever again. Understood?" She didn't give into his little play. "My god, Trinity what is it with you! Can't you see behind the mask of the scene! You might think I work for Xan but I don't! I…he FORCED me! And still I refused!" He came up to her and she stepped back again, keeping her distance away from him. "Trinity you must understand! I refused because…" He didn't finish his sentence and looked at the ground. "Maybe you are right Trinity. Maybe there really is no team." He said and turned around and started to walk away.

Trinity looked at him and realized she has lost his trust. She watched him walk away and all of a sudden she rushed to him. Not knowing why she turns him around and asks him. "Why did you refuse, Dess?" He looked at her but didn't say anything. "Tell me!" She tugged on his arm but he only shook his head. "You said I have your trust." She forced him to look at her. "Show me that I do." He tilted his head and just looked at her. 

"I refused because, because…I fell in love with you." His words had reached her like lighting and she was shocked. "I…I love you, Trish." She licked her dried lips and tears welded up in her eyes. "I thought I told you not to call me Trish again." He took her chin in his strong hands and took off her glasses and looked deep into her eyes. "I know." He plainly said. 

He slowly took off her mask and dropped it on the floor. "But you still kept calling me Dess." He kissed her passionately and yet slowly and she hugged him as she kissed him back. "Oh Dess, I'm sorry for being so blind. I really am." "Shh." He silenced her and dazed into her eyes. "If you ever need to talk to me." He wiped of her tear from her cheek with his thumb. "Come here and I'll be waiting for you to come." She smiled. "Promise me something, Dess." She said and hugged him. She looked into the stars and more tears came down. "Be with me, forever." He leaned back and looked at her. "Then I shall…be with you, forever." He kissed her one last time in the middle of midnight.

(a/n): Well looks like our hero's are taking a break from matches. Well not to worry, they'll be working twenty-four seven for being such blunts. lol. Anyway tell me how I did! Plz keep reviewing.    


	11. Alternative Plan

Disclaimer: don't own UT. Geez. I'm tired of saying this!

Claimer: Little Trishy and biggie Jacky are all mine.

(a/n): Thanks for all the reviews. I see we have a new reviewer. Hope you will continue reading this story. You know I really like this fic myself, Fun. I LOVE this fic. Every time I read over this I want to read it and read it and read it over and over again. I dunno why, though. Anyway, ENJOY. ^_^   

Chapter11: Alternative Plan

            "I can't take this anymore! Everything I try just doesn't work on her!!!!!!!!!!" Xan slammed his fist into one of the statue heads and broke it. The debris fell down, leaving the statue headless. "And that Dessloch had to act so noble! What does he see in her anyway!! I'm going to use him for target practice!!!!!!!!!" He screamed and almost punched Matrix but he ducked and skipped out of his view. 

            This is a very bad time to tell Xan that Trinity is up to the seventh match in the Capture the Flag Arena. Matrix didn't want to be headless so he'll wait. "ARGH!!!!!" Xan punched another statue and this one tumbled down as a whole. "How, how is this possible!!!! How can she just pass all these matches unscratched!?" Matrix slowly tipped toed away and outside of the door. "Whew, that was close." He quietly said.

            "The old man still can't get over it?" Kira asked as came up from the stairs and leaned against the wall. "Shh, don't call him that. I don't want to get in trouble. Magically he always blames me." Matrix said in a hushed voice as he peeped through the opening. He saw Xan hit the table and break it in half. That was pure steel too. Matrix gulped and Kira laughed. "Oh god, Matrix. That's because you do nothing but kick everybody's ass except for Trinity's" "But I was never matched up against her." He explained. Kira shrugged. "So, your fault I guess. That means Xan thinks you aren't good enough."

 Kira examined her nails. "What do you think? Are they long enough to pluck some eyeballs out?" She showed him her nails and he made a face. "They are long enough to be cut." Kira smiled. "An answer as good as any." She walked into the room where Xan is. _She's dead._ Matrix thought as he followed behind. 

"Sir, I have some good news for you." Kira said in her sexy voice. "WHAT!!!!!!!???????????" He screamed out loud and looked at her. "I mean, what?" He said it more in a calm voice. "Dessloch came from the Skraaj war, has he not?" Kira sat down in one of the chairs that hasn't been broken yet. "That's right." Xan said in thought. "Well, he wants freedom." She pointed it out. "What if we are to take another Human Trooper? We'll put him on the red team and he'll fight for his freedom. He will then have to face Trinity." Xan thought about it. "What if she's too strong for him?" Xan asked. Kira stood up and came up to Xan. "Well then. We must pick out one who is the best." Xan understood what she meant now. He smiled and started to laugh evilly. His inhuman laughter has filled the chamber like blood.

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            Trinity was in the blue hall, waiting for her team to be called on. She looked at Boris who just came from the lift. "Where's Luther?" She asked and came up to him. "Oh, he is not here now. We have enough people as it is." Trish nodded and strapped her gloves on. "Okay people. Remember always work as a group. If someone asks for help, we help them. Okay?" Everybody nodded and she nodded as well. 

            "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to yet another Capture the Flag Tournament! Today the two teams will clash into battle of the bloody arena. The two teams are the famous and undefeatable BLOOD REAVERS!!!" Trinity turned to her team after the announcer has announced their names. "That's our cue. Alright, let's rock!" Her whole team screamed with her and went onto the stage meeting the crazy crowd that was cheering for them. Her team walked up to the stage without turning to the crowds like the rest of her team. 

"The second team, which our heroes are going against, are the legendary DARK PHALANX!!" Trinity almost died at their name. She somehow learned how to hate Ivana's team and how they used their rocket launchers. The Dark Phalanx came up to the stage and Trish spotted that smile on Ivana's face. "Trinity, we meet again. My team was not too satisfied with the other matches we came up against. Maybe this time, we'll show you a thing or two." Trinity's eyes widened and she already hated Ivana. "May I?" She asked and slammed down the button herself this time and looked at the cubical television on top of them.

"Looks like our friends are going to the Last Command! It is a Nuclear Processing Station with the systems of oriented layout that makes an ideal proving ground for Capture the Flag Arena. Good luck to our teams." The circles rounded around her team and the other and they have entered the Arena. 

"Okay team, listen up." Trinity said in the spectating mode. "I know this map quiet well. I hope everyone knows this map as well." She asked her team. "Yeah, we do." Boris said and Trish nodded. "Okay, move fast and don't waste time. Kyla, defend the base. Boris, engage according to operational perimeters and Mariana, take their flag." Everybody agreed and the match has started.

Trinity appeared in the blue base in the far right corner of the blue flag. She picked up the minigun with some ammo and ran forward. She ran past the columns and jumped down to the first floor, turning around in the air.  She landed and ran through the leaning corridors past large windows. These windows reminded her of the big tanks where sharks are kept in the wildlife aquarium. She ran past them and saw Boris was equipped with a Damage Amplifier. He shot of one shot with his shock rifle and killed his opponent with one shot, which happened to be Ivana. "You suck." Boris said and smiled at Trinity. "You don't know how good this feels after the last Domination match with them." Trinity laughed and ran into the room he was in. She picked up the shock rifle and ran for the right corridor.     

Blood splattered Trinity's face as Boris's weapon shrieked through her ears. Boris has slaughtered two more opponents from the left corridor that was linked to the right. She heard Boris translocate somewhere, but she really didn't care. She picked up the Health Vials between the large windows and saw Farham spot her and skip out of view. 

Trinity turned to her left and strafed right, as she was ready to nail the defender. She came into view of the red flag behind a glass-sort-of-wall and spotted Farham in the small bridge opposite of the Flag, near the rocket launcher. Trinity fired off and ran for the flag. She grabbed it and ran backwards as she went into the other corridor and slaughtering Farham before he was out of her view. 

Trinity faced front and saw Ivana running out of the central area where the shock rifle is. Trinity dodged her ripper blades, dodging to her left then to her right. Trinity screamed as she ran through Ivana, ripping her to pieces from the strong minigun. Trinity wiped her eyes from the blood with her free hand and turned the corner and zipped by past Gorn. She quickly turned around decimated him while he was wheeling around to fire at her.

She ran past the central area and Mariana who went to kill off some bots behind her. Trinity ran through the blue illuminated walls and saw Boris run past her to help Mariana who asked for backup. Trinity ran across the large floor and up the ramp. She got up to the grated lift and ran for the blue flag. "I need some backup." She heard Boris say and Trish turned around just in case to make sure no one followed her. She ran up the ramps and around the glass wall that was in front of the flag and captured the red flag. 

Got one in two more two go. Trinity ran to the left side of the large blue base and powered up with Health Vials and fell down. Gorn's arm hit her legs as Boris had just killed him with his bio-rifle from the other side of the base. She was disgusted but she kept her head clear. She ran down the left corridor and picked up some sniper rifle ammo. 

She ran into the central room and picked up more ammo for the shock rifle. She shot her minigun at Ivana and her blood was painting the walls and ceilings. Leaving a big hole in her stomach, Ivana drops down and dies. Trinity raised her minigun to kill Nikita, who ran up behind Ivana, but she has killed herself with her shock rifle's ball of plasma. Trish smiled and picked up Ivana's minigun for more ammo and ran through the left corridor where the two had come from. 

Her feet splashed the pools of blood in the hall, leaving footprints behind. Gorn jumped into view with a ripper and she dissected him and ran past the corpse. "Killing Spree." The announcer said as she entered the red base. Farham ran up to her from the other end and fired of his minigun. She strafed around the glass and took the flag and finished Farham without getting hit at all. "Stupid rookies." She said. This team wasn't as good when there is no place to throw you off at. 

She ran through the left hallway opposite the one she came from and ran around Ivana. She backpedaled as she fired of her minigun. Ivana fired off her own shots with the flak cannon. Trish twitched in pain as it hit her arm, spoiling her aim but she was still successful at turning her to a leaky piece of meat. Trish spotted Nikita in the far back of flak cannon room, which was surrounded by those large windows. Unfortunately she has no time for her. It was time when she turned the corner and went into the courtyard. 

"Boom!" She heard Boris say and she smiled. He had finished the job for her. She ran up the ramp once again and into the base. She captured the flag and took a breather from the entire running.

 "Just one more flag and that's it." She quietly said and ran to her right to pick up the ammo for the minigun. She ran down the slopes and powered by the Health Vials. "I need some back up!" She heard Boris say in the central area. Trinity jumped down to where the grated lift is and picked up the rocket launcher she didn't before. She jumped to her left and tranlocated into this long tube and picked up the Damage Amplifier. She quickly ran to help Boris.

The central area was like a graveyard. Limbs lied in different corners of the room and blood was everywhere. It was unavoidable not to step into the pool. Trinity saw Boris come out with perfect health and she was more than surprised. "I'm okay." He said and she nodded. She ran to her left and slaughtered Farham and Gorn through the little passageway that led out of the corridor. She rounded to her right and ran up to the flag and took it. No one stood in her way. Boris had killed almost everyone; everyone there is to kill. She ran past the central area and met Gorn again with a minigun. They exchanged hits but Trish was more accurate. She hit his eyes and he was sightless. Then she bolted him into the wall and ran into the blue courtyard. "Rampage!" She heard the announcer say. 

"Boom!" Boris said again as Trinity guessed he must have found more people to frag. She ran up the slope and up the lift. "Congratulations, you are the winner!" The announcer said when Trinity captured the last flag. She did a victory dance and screamed out loud across the whole Command, "Let's Rock!"  

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            Xan wasn't happy when he saw Trinity again hit a perfect score. "She is a trained professional." Xan said and Matrix could hear his anger. "Well, did we find anyone that can defeat her?" He turned to Matrix and he shrugged. "You are a worthless piece of shit!" He screamed at him at he backed off. "Not to worry sir." Xan turned to Kira who just walked up to his office. "I have the perfect one. He's name is Zack Vicklair. He used to be one of the best fighters until he was arrested. He accidentally killed off two innocents but that doesn't stand in our way." Kira smiled and handed him the file. "Excellent. Bring him in and offer freedom to him, if he wins the tournament." 

(a/n): Another chapter done with. Plz keep reviewing. Thank you. ^_^


	12. New Recruitment

Disclaimer: Don't own UT.

Claimer: Trish and Jack are mine.

(a/n): Sorry for not updating any sooner but my teachers have gone on rampage with all the homework. Thank you so much for your reviews. I hope you all had a good New Year because I certainly had. Oh and don't worry about Dessloch. He can't show up in all the matches, right? Thank you all. Anyway, now I'm free and so just one word: Enjoy. ^_^

Chapter12: New Recruitment  

            Dessloch was in one of the practice sessions, having fun in the Last Man Standing Arena against three others. The two of them were dead and the last one had 2 lives left. Dessloch had only one left. If he dies now, game over and Matrix, Xan's pet, is the winner. He can't let that happen now can he?

            He was hiding behind a column on the second floor of the great Fractal. He was equipped with a sniper rifle and now he was waiting out for Matrix to pop his head into view. And there he was, Matrix running across the first floor, over the huge round trap door that is covering most of the first floor. Dessloch looked into the scope and licked hit lips, carefully, taking a perfect shot at Matrix's head.

            The bullet screamed through the air as it cut through it, fast as lighting, hitting Matrix straight in the back of his head. "Head Shot" The announcer exclaimed. Dessloch smiled and taunted, "Suck on that, loser!" 

            "You humans get so fired up when you begin to win." Dessloch darted at Matrix's voice in the back of him. Matrix lunged at Dessloch's weapon and they both rolled off onto the first floor. Dessloch screamed out in pain because he was the one on the floor and Matrix was on top of him. Dessloch coughed up his own blood as he realized, Matrix was trying to choke him with his own rifle. 

            "Oh yeah? Well you robots get so pissed when you begin to lose!" Dessloch responded as he pulled the rifle up, away from his neck with effort since Matrix was still holding on to it. "I hate human flesh." Matrix said as he pushed the rifle back and lowered his face straight into Dessloch's. "Well I hate robo-scrap." Dessloch proclaimed as he rolled to his left and on top of Matrix and pressed the rifle against him. "You talk to much." Matrix pulled the rifle back into Dess. "Well your breath stinks!" Dessloch spat, let go of the rifle and hit the large button next to the trap door. Matrix, just in time pressed the trigger but his aim was disrupted when the trap door opened and Matrix fell down. Dessloch gripped onto the floor and quickly pulled himself up and watched how Matrix was shred to bits and pieces by the lasers that awaited him. 

            The trap door closed and the announcer said, "Congratulation, you are the winner." Dessloch danced around in victory, screaming, "Oh yeah! Whose da man? Whose you're daddy? Whoa! Yeah! Let's Rock as Trish would say! Haha!" 

Dessloch appeared back at the stadium with the three contestants, sprawled on the floor. The crowd cheered for him and Dessloch, for the first time, bowed at the crowd. "Thank you, thank you very much. No autographs please. Haha!" Dessloch was so happy that he finally beat Matrix. "Now what, Matrix!? You gonna run to Xan and cry to him? Hahahaha!" Dessloch fondly walked away as he went down the lift. 

He looked at Trish, standing in her suit, clapping as she walked up to him. "Congratulations on surviving your match, Dess." Dessloch smiled and decided to kid around with her. "First of all, you're too cocky." He came up to her and took her by her chin. "Second of all, I change my mind about Dess." He saw how her mask moved, meaning a smile was forming on her face. "You are such a bully." She pushed him away from her and placed her hands on her hips. "Come on, let's go to that party."

"What for? It isn't my style." He paced around the room. "Plus, I just kicked Matrix's ass. I don't want to listen to his boss babbling about the tournament." He stopped and looked at her. "So Boris was right." Trish said in a very thoughtful way. "About what?" He watched her pace the room herself now and lean against the wall. "You're…" She turned to him very slowly and then threw up her hands in front of her. "Afraid to show your face!" "What!?" Dessloch backed away. "No, that's a lie. My face looks so good that I'm tired of showing it! I mean look at the crowd! They love me!!" He pointed towards the lift where cheers could be heard. 

Trish came nearer to the exit and then turned to Dessloch. "Okay, fine. I'll go with Boris then. Maybe he'll be a real gentleman." She examined him in full height. "Unlike you." She added and began walking away. Dessloch blew up inside and ran after her, screaming. "Alright, alright, alright! I'm coming!"

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            Kira came into Xan's office and placed a few papers neatly on his desk. "We have him." She said and Xan nodded. "Good. I will go see him then." Xan stood up and signaled his men to come with him. "Sir?" Xan turned to look at Kira and she was smiling. "Don't forget about the speech." Xan nodded. "Yes of course. Thank you, Kira." Xan walked away into the basement of the Liandri building, where the criminals are kept that don't have a team. He came to a specific holding room and saw a young man with blonde hair sitting behind bars looking at his hands. "Zack Vicklair?" Xan asked and the man perked his head up and looked straight into him. He wasn't surprised. He didn't LOOK surprised at how Xan looked. He showed no fear, just anger of an animal that was ready to rip someone apart.

            The man had a scar, vertically running down through his left eye. His eye was yellow and seems to be operated on, just like Dessloch's. His other eye was dark blue, clouded by a darken mind. His hair was cut short as it stood up; he was definitely in the army. His whole body was well built and he was ready for action anytime. 

            Xan smiled to himself and opened the cell. "My name is Xan Kriegor and I have good news for you." He dropped some papers on the floor, next to him for the human to see. "I see that you are sentenced a ten year imprisonment. Well, I have put you in the tournament and if you win, you gain your freedom. Sounds easy, doesn't it?" He saw the man's eyes narrow and Xan knew what would be his answer. He saw people do that all the time. 

            "I'll pass. I am a soldier and always will be. I will not go out there and kill the others without a reason. There is nothing worse for a soldier then to lose his mind. Now if we're done, I'd like to be escorted to my prison." Xan was very disappointed at this 'soldier's' response. "Mr. Vicklair, you are missing one point. You can't go back. We bought you off. Now you fight for your freedom or just stand there and die. Your sentence here is simple. If you lose, you die. If you win, you're free." Xan waved to his people. "Put him on Red with the Dark Phalanx." 

            Xan saw Zack's eyes burn with fury and he felt his soul fire up into an inferno. Xan smiled. It's good to know that this soldier has it in him to fight. Now that he hates Xan for doing this to him, he will try his best to win the tournament. "Good luck." Xan said and went away as he heard curses fly his way from Vicklair. 

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            Zack was angry as he was shoved into the Red Bunker into his room. Anger built up inside him. He couldn't believe what just happened. He just got 'bought' from the League's Army. Same like the slaves who get bought off for the tournament. Zack hit one of the walls and watched how his blood dripped to the floor. He looked back at the wall and saw it was pure titanium, beneath the bricks. Zack got even angrier.

            He came up to the door and tried to open it but the doorknob wouldn't budge. Zack began to kick it with his foot. He got frustrated and understood that he was not meant to get out of here until the match comes up. He collapsed on the couch and covered his face with his hands as he tried to be calm. 

            All his life, he sold his time and life for the League. He fought besides his comrades and friends and eliminated those who threatened his race. He fought each war; you name it, the Skraaj's war, war against the Necris and the war against the Nali's who got now imprisoned. He fought against humans as well, against the terrorists groups who threatened them. He became so good that he was named as a Captain, then as a Major and he even went up to Colonel. Where did he go wrong? He accidentally fired at two innocent people. To make the situation worse those two were a mother and a son. He felt terrible; he never meant to do it. But now the past is done with, over. He can't change it, so he accepted to be killed but the League wanted more than that. They wanted to imprison him for him to see the real life behind a criminal. They wanted to see him suffer. He doesn't know why though.

            And he's here, doesn't know why or how. He never knew that people that used to serve in an army could get bought off like this. Now he has no choice but to fight. He doesn't really care if he will die. He deserved it 2 years ago. 

(a/n): So what did you think? A little short, right? Well if I put something else, then it will be too long and all of you will stare down the whole page, wondering did I go mad? Anyway, please keep reviewing and I hope you are enjoying this.            


	13. The Grand Speech

Disclaimer: *sigh* well, well, well. This is a surprise. I still don't own UT?? Why??

Claimer: Trinity, Zack Vicklair and Jack are copyrighted.

(a/n): Thank you so much for the reviews. I'm glad you really like this story! Well do be quite honest; I have no idea how in the WORLD I keep updating at all. My teachers are giving me a hard time and I think its time to spoil their spree but I always seem to fail. Oh well, hope you like this chap! Enjoy. ^_^ 

Chapter13: The Grand Speech

            Almost everyone was at the meeting. Trinity never met these people. There were a lot of people from the whole blue and red team. There were personnel from the Liandri and the Liandri troops. Spectators were also here and there. They were in a gigantic room with a 2nd floor balconies were people stood or ate. Obviously, the top floor is for the spectators and the personnel. The ground floor was for the contestants. The podium stood on a large stand with a couple of steps but no one stood behind it.

            People whispered and talked to each other as they all waited for one man, Xan Kriegor. Trinity didn't bother dressing up in something else than her suit, same with almost all of the contestants. Only a few people had suits and dresses. Ivana for example wore a blue, sparkly, long dress with her hair unbraided. Trinity stood patiently for the 'champion' to show his face. She wants to know the news of the tournament. She must know everything, or else if she misses something, it would be really bad. 

            "I don't like this place." She heard Dessloch whisper in her ear and she ignored him. She concentrated at the 4 people coming up to her. They all wore the same uniform with one really big guy in the middle. "Trinity?" He addressed her and she straightened herself and looked directly into his eyes. "That would be me." She said coolly and deadly. "My name is Brock. I am the leader of the Iron Guard. I just want to say that I have heard of your success. It would be a pleasure to meet you in combat some day." His voice was smooth and easy to understand. She could even see him smile. "Sure, same here. I have heard of your team and it would be an honor." 

She looked at all his other members. Two women and another guy stood behind him. "Oh let me introduce you to my team." He noticed her eyes travel behind him. "This is Rylisa, Lauren and Johnson." He said as he pointed at each every one of them. "I would like to introduce you to another person but he's not part of our team, just a friend. Plus he is not here." He turned back to her and smiled. "But I'm sure you'll meet him in combat." Trinity smiled but Brock couldn't see it. Trinity started to hate her mask but then again, she loves it. It's the only thing that is preventing them to see who she is and is part of the outfit, which is a good reason to wear it. 

The lights dimmed and everyone turned their attention to the podium. A woman came out with black hair and dark eyes. She wore a red long dress that wiped the floor. Behind her came forth her worse enemy. Xan stood behind the brown podium with the microphone and scanned the room and looked straight at her. She couldn't say if he was smiling or not, he was completely inhuman now.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Unreal Tournament. My name is Xan Kriegor and I am here to talk about the tournament." "Just great." Trinity heard Dessloch mumble and she smiled. "This year's tournament is unbelievable." He continued. "We have old records broken and new ones set. Today our rates have sky rocketed. New contestants are joining, beating the old ones and giving themselves respectful names." He looked around the room before continuing. 

"We are doing well and this year's tournament will definitely be remembered. You either fights for what you believe, fight for your life or trying to find out who you really are. The tournament is for all kinds of people. We even have rich civilians joining to prove themselves. We have people from the army forces and professionals killers. We even have the prisoners from wars and the aliens from different parts of the world." 

He looked up at the higher floor. "We have the Necris, a very agile and smart race. We have the Nali's who represent the innocents and, of course, the almighty Skraaj Hybrids. That race has power, size and agility. The most feared race by men and yet contestants are willing to challenge them to proceed and climb the ladder of the bloody tournament. This tournament is a true blood sport and it can't get any bloodier than this. Watch the weak fall and the strong prevail. One person makes a difference. This tournament is to test your true self. Your stamina, your agility, your tactics. See the strongest humans on the planet struggle through the ladder and unto the Final Championship. Watch how strong a human can be even stronger than the biological weapons. Everyone this is the Unreal Tournament." The audience clapped but Trish stayed put. He hasn't said anything but what the tournament is about. She wants the good stuff. 

"Now. Why don't we name those that have served this tournament well?" He nodded towards the woman in the red dress and she gave him an envelope. "These are the top ten of the best statistics. In place number 10 is…Cilia from the Venom team!" One light glowed through the dark room, showing Cilia who nodded to everyone. 

"Ninth place is Boris from the winning Blood Reavers!!" Trish looked around the room but than the light didn't show him, meaning he wasn't here. _So he didn't show up? I wonder why?_ "Eighth place is Ivana from the Dark Phalanx!" Trinity rolled her eyes when they showed the little witch in the light. She waved to everyone and received cheers. "Seventh place is a contestant that is no human, a contestant of a no human team. The one and only Freylis from the Black Legion!!" The light guided to a Necris. She was a female and was quite attractive to tell the truth. Her skin was very, very white, of course, but her face was very human like. She must be a mix or something. She had beautiful silver hair that ran down to her shoulders and very thin and pale lips. Her eyes were thin as well with a white pupil. She smiled at everyone and bowed. A few clapped since everyone despised the alien race.

"Let's keep going. In sixth place is Arkon from the Raw Steel." Once again a few applauded. Arkon was a human. He had blue sunglasses with a white frame. His hair and mustache was snowy white. He was a big guy and smiled very warmly. He kind of reminded her of her father. Her father also smiled like that.

"In fifth place." Xan continued. "Lauren from Iron Guard and following her is Brock in fourth place, also from Iron Guard." Trish saw they two waved and there was a lot of people cheering them on. Maybe they were good after all. But she doesn't really care, Dark Phalanx only concerns her. She grew to hate that team.  

"Now this is were we give out medals. In third place, a man from an unbeatable team who has served for a very long time, Luther Loner from the Blood Reavers." The whole room roared with cheers. Trinity smiled but noticed Dessloch wasn't too happy. She wonders why? Dessloch slowly came up and took his medal. It was pure bronze with a man in the middle with a minigun. Trinity clapped but a questioned went through her head. _I wonder who is the second and first place._

"Now, now. We are just beginning here. In second place is the one man that had been here for the longest time, the man that knows combat and a man of pure strength and stability. The one and only Malcom from the Thunder Crash!" A man with a green navy suit stepped forth as people clapped. He had cool glasses, covering his eyes and a hat. He had a short beard and mustache. He gladly took the medal and shook hands with Xan. He took his glasses off and smiled at the crowd, nodding his head.

"Now, in first place is a contestant that is new but proved herself very good. She has strength, she has agility, her tactics are well and she is a real trained professional. Everyone let's give a round of applause to Trinity from the Blood Reavers!" The crowd went wild at her name, which kind of surprised her. She didn't know she was famous. But then again, everyone watches the tournament and she definitely was on television more than once. She came up to the podium and she actually heard some guys whistle. She took the long, golden medal. It had a woman doing a victory dance with a flak cannon in hand in the middle of two columns. She couldn't mistake the uniform the woman was in. The woman was meant to be Trinity. "Congratulations." Xan said and shook her hand.

"Let's give one more round of applause to our winners." Xan said as Dessloch, Malcom and Trinity walked back into the crowd. When the crowd quieted down Xan began again. "Now lets talk about the ladders. Tomorrow the Assault matches starts. Lets wish the best for our teams. The maps will not be random; instead they will go in order. The first match will start at Frigate. That's all I can reveal. The first teams that are playing against each other are the Black Legion and the Blood Reavers. The winners will proceed to the next ladder. Good luck to everyone." The lights dimmed on again. "Well this finishes everything, I will leave you now. Have a lovely evening." The audience applauded and Xan left the scene.

"Come on let's get out of here." Dessloch said and Trinity agreed as they both left for the Blue Bunker. Trinity has heard of the Assaults matches. She loves them the most. It reminds her of the missions you have to take as a mercenary. It was pretty damn cool. 

In the assault matches there are two teams. One team is the attacking team and the other is the defending team. Her team starts as an attacking team she knows that. Her team must penetrate the base the other team is defending and destroy several key locations that she is told before the match begins. She must do this all under the time she is given. If the time runs out, she loses. If she wins, she must defend the base and the same key locations in the second match while the defending team now becomes the attacker. She must defend the base for the amount of time she succeeded at taking it. Each map is different and different tactics must be reinforced. Strategies must be made to defend and attack successfully. She heard that you begin as a spectator. She can see the environment of the whole map to be familiar. 

The assault matches are really cool, if you play with good team members. But she is not worried. She knows she has the best team on her side.

(a/n): So how was this chapter? Lame? Boring? Useless? Pointless? Well I had to introduce some top characters such as Brock, Lauren and Malcom. Anyway. In the next chapter, the assault matches will start and Trinity and Zack both will be entering. So stay around. Plz don't forget to review! ^_^  __


	14. The Winning Strike

Disclaimer: No matter how hard I try, I still don't own UT. Why? Why? WHY!!??

Claimer: Menaces and Vicklair are copyright.

(a/n): Thank you SO much for all of your reviews. Okay in this chapter Vicklair and Trish are in the Assaults now. The last Arena before the Final Championship.

Here are some thankyous to my reviewers.

****

**_Fun:_** Of course you were the first reviewer and of course I have noticed that. That is why this story is going, thanks to you Fun. I never thought I will get reviews and then when I saw you keep reviewing, you gave me faith to finish the book. Fun you back me up a lot and I appreciate that. That is why the ending will be dedicated to you. Thank you so much for taking your time and reading my story. I really love your reviews. Hope you keep reading, because I will be writing thanks to you!

**_Slash the Ironman: _**Thank you for your review. I also want to thank you for reading this story and continuing to encourage me. I hope you keep reading. Oh and sorry about the last chapter being a little bit boring, I even knew it was a little boring. I just thought it might be useful to point out some winners. Anyway, here is a chapter where Trish and Zack will fight. Hope you will keep reading.

Chapter14: The Winning Strike

            Zack was sitting on the couch with his knuckles bind by dressings as blood leaked through them. He was breathing hard, ignoring the pain that he has endured upon himself. Zack was still angry about getting thrown in the tournament and he has abused his room quite well. Armchairs, tables and couches were overturned and ripped. Glass was shattered with only the metal bars outside of the window left standing, which were bend out. Walls were ripped down until the shine of the metal could be seen from the distance. His room looks like a small battleground.

            Zack shot his eyes up at the door as he saw a woman come into his room. He narrowed his eyes and got ready for any action. The woman wore a red dress and she had dark eyes with dark hair. "Vicklair, right? My name is Kira, the captain of the Red Team. This here is Matrix." A big machine came into the room as well. "He, too, is a captain." She said and they both walked in and looked around the room. Kira's eyes were wide when she saw what he has done and Matrix, showed nothing…maybe that's because he is a robot??

            Kira's wondering eyes set on his soft and yet brutal eyes. Kira studied his left, yellow eye with a scar running down across it. "The Assault matches start soon." She said as she looked at his good eye and Zack nodded. "Okay." He said and than looked at the big guy behind her. "So?" He stood up and came up to the shattered window's, inhaling the fresh air from the outside. "We must get you ready. Trinity, the leader of the Blood Reavers, is leading the whole blue team. We need you to stop her." She leaned on one of the broken walls and studied him in full height. He frowned, crossed his arms and leaned against a wall as well. "Why don't you do it?" Kira looked surprised at his answer and looked at Matrix who shrugged.

            Kira sighed and stood straight up. "I don't want to do this, Vicklair." She said and signaled for Matrix to take his weapon out. "I'm afraid he's going to have to kill you." Zack smiled and soon started to laugh. Confusion over came Kira as she watched the ex-mercenary chuckle. "What exactly do you find so funny?" Her tone was very serious but it did not bother Vicklair. Hell, not even a Skraaj will bother him. After everything he was through. It would be a true gift for someone to come up to him and shoot him in the head to make life a little bit easier. Its true Zack is tired of living. Twenty years in combat is more than a lifetime. 

            The weapon, Matrix was holding, switched on and Zack didn't even twitch an eyebrow. "Go on." He said and stood still as a target practice. "Make my day." Kira noticed his dark, deep blue eye darkened and couldn't believe how strong willed he is. He was certainly not afraid to die. 

            She nodded towards Matrix and the plasma burned through the air straight into Zack. Zack seemed to crouch and the plasma ball missed him completely. "Damn…" Zack said as he looked back at the titanium wall, which had a hole straight through it. "That puppy sure is hot!!" He looked back to face Matrix. "But its user is terrible." He stood up and smiled. "You could've told me that the reason you need me in combat is because you were embarrassed that the CAPTAIN here doesn't know how to aim." Kira saw his playful eyes wonder on Matrix as he just made fun of him. "I will be glad to replace him, I definitely shoot better than that." 

Matrix towered over him. "That's because you crouched like a coward." Zack sighed and gave one his sincere smiles. "You should know that everyone in the tournament are going to move around and not just stand like a target, my young apprentice. This is why we learn how to aim." He said everything so slowly like Matrix was some stupid robot that just joined the tournament. 

Matrix loaded his weapon and pointed at Vicklair's heart as he barked. "If you ever insult me again, I will fry you." Zack lowered Matrix's weapon and patted him on his shoulder. "If you ever point that peashooter at me, I'll fuse you." He sounded very serious and yet he was smiling and Kira was about to laugh at how men in this tournament fight over whose better. "Alright, alright, let's go the matches are starting in a few minutes."

They all walked away outside into the hall. "Wait." Zack said and the both of them looked at him. "Who's Trinity?" Kira and Matrix shook their heads as they continued to walk through the hall.

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            Trinity was standing in the Blue Corridor that leads to the stage. She was with her whole team except for Boris. Luther replaced him today and he looked like he was ready for action. He was sitting in the corner wrapping his hands in a cloth and then putting on his gloves. He tanned his face with green marks and leaned back as he closed his eyes.

            Well this is the Assault match, the last Arena Tournament before the Final Challenge. They have to win every match to make sure they enter the Final Challenge, where the leader will challenge Xan. They cannot afford to be tied as well, there is too much at hand and this is her only chance to avenge her father's death. Yes. Xan will pay after all. He has taken her loved one life and now he will repay it with his life. 

            "I'm worried." Trish looked at Mariana who was hugging her knees as she sat down on the floor. "I mean, Brock and Lauren are doing great and they are the same team. Imagine what happened if Malcom would be on their team." She buried her face. "Well he's not." Luther stood up and came up to her. "And who cares about Lauren and Brock. Sure they are one of the best, but look at our team. We have a real teamwork. And plus." He looked at Trinity. "We have a good leader who has been to many battles. Don't say that. We have worked the hardest we can and look where are we now." 

Mariana looked at him but she didn't smile like Trish would expect her to do. "But you don't understand!" She stood up and came up to Luther and looked into his yellow eyes. "If a team gets up to the Final Challenge with another team, the leaders must fight to the death!" She looked at Trinity. "I'm worried that something wrong will happen. All of our leaders died."  

"Don't worry about me." Trinity this time said. "I will be fine. I'm more than you think, Mariana. I thank you for caring but what has to be done must be done. Xan…" She sighed. "I never knew when to tell you this guys but you are like a family to me. I mean." She smiled. "I treat you as my sister…and Boris." She chuckled. "He gets too overworked to see if I'm okay. I mean he acts as an older brother. And Kyla." She turned to her. "You are like a sister to me as well." She looked at Dessloch and smiled very sweetly but no one knew she did. "And you Luther…" She closed her eyes and turned around. 

"Welcome to the Assault Match Arena!" Trinity smiled and addressed her whole team. "No more worries." She said. "We will win this tournament. We will defeat Xan, this is not his tournament but ours." All of her team members stood up and nodded. "Welcome to Neurovision this tournament is sponsored by Liandri Corporation! Welcome to the real blood sport! Today the two teams will be battling in the first map the Frigate!! The two teams are the legendary Blood REAVERS!!!!!!!!" Trinity forced her hands into knuckles. "Let's go out there and show'em what we are made out of!" She screamed and her team cheered. "Let's Rock!" They all ran out into the stadium and the crowd roared. 

"Looks like the team is psyched up and ready for battle!!!" The crowd soon chanted their names. "REAVERS, REAVERS, REAVERS!!!!!" "Look at the crowd folks!" The announcer said. "The crowd is going wild! Hope everyone sees this back home. Now onto the next team!"

The lift started to go up from the Red Corridor and the Necris came out. "Well, well, well. It's the alien race Necris! The BLACK LEGION!!!! It believes by destroying Xan Kriegor, the tournament leader, it can gain the control of Liandri Corporation. As if that will ever happen." The crowd of course booed at them and Trinity felt it wasn't right. She heard the Necris were a noble race. And by trying to destroy Xan Kriegor, they should be best friends by now.

Trinity spotted Freylis, the one who was one of the toppest ten winners. "We once meet." The leader said of the team. Her skin was very pale white but her hair was dark, dark black. She had a tattoo of some sort on her forehead above her white eyes. "My name is Cryss. I am the leader of the Legion." Trinity bowed her head. "It is an honor." She said. "May the best team win." Cryss nodded. "Good luck to both of us." Cryss slammed down the button and they were transported to the Frigate. 

"Welcome to the Unreal Tournament Assault Matches." A female computer voice has said into Trinity's headgear. "This match requires the activation of the vessel. You must hijack this vessel through the blast doors and out of the harbor. Before you hijack the ship you must enter the ship through several locations, which you must discover for yourself. Your first key location that you must destroy is the Hydraulic Compressor in the aft cabin. This is required to open the passage to the control room where the next objective is completed. 

"In order to hijack the warship you must run to the highest floor level into the control room of the ship. There you will find a red button that will activate the ship's cannons and allow the vessel to leave the harbor.

"Now you are in a spectator mode. Feel free to look around and get to know your surroundings. When you have finished, activate your wristcom and the match will begin shortly." The computer voice has finished the direction and Trinity activated her wristcom. She knew this map already. And she has a perfect plan. There are two ways to get into the ship. One is through the bottom of the ship or through the main entrance. The main entrance is always heavily guarded. There is a minigun set on top of the entrance that shoots at anything that moves. Also, there are usually 2 people standing in the entrance with either miniguns or rocket launchers. She will send two people through the entrance to distract the whole team. She and Dess will go through the water and through the bottom.

"Dessloch, cover me. Kyla and Mariana, assault the base."  Trinity quickly ordered them. "I'm on it, Trish." Dessloch responded through the earphone and Kyla and Mariana agreed. "The match will start in…5…4…3…2…1." Trinity appeared below the dock near the water and she quickly ran underneath. She took a long breath and dived.

Propellers of the back of the ship could be seen on either side as she swum through the blue, clean, summer-fresh water. Dessloch dived into the water as well when she has reached the ship. He made a signal for her to move on and she nodded. She kept swimming and went up through the diving pool of the ship. She inhaled harshly and sharply when she got out of water. She jumped to the back of the diving pool and equipped herself with a flak cannon and waited for Dessloch to come up.

Dessloch came out of the water nice and easy. He didn't inhale like she did and he seemed to still have enough oxygen. Dessloch ran up to her and picked up the flak cannon and they both ran through the corridor. Malakai was awaiting them on top of the ramp in front of the minigun pickup area and she shred him to pieces. A few metal scrapped back at her from the walls and hit her legs and shoulder. Trinity ignored the pain and ran through the open door next to stairs on the left as Dessloch picked up and switched to the minigun.

They ran up a few steps and across a grated floor and Trinity saw Cryss facing with her back to her, behind the entrance. Trinity fired of one ball of metal and killed Cryss in one blow. Her limbs flew in all direction and one of her arms has smacked Dessloch and he frowned at the corpse. Trinity held back a laugh and went into the entrance corridor where she has spotted Freylis with a shield belt, running to the back of the vessel where the Hydraulic Compressor is. 

"The ship has been entered." The announcer has said the minute Trish stepped foot into the corridor. Another ball of metal was fired straight into Freylis causing her shield to drop to zero. All of a sudden Trinity was forced into the floor as she felt hot, boiling metal hit her back and legs. Trinity struggled to her feet and ran behind the staircase on the left but the metal stuck in her legs and back has hurt her even more.

She turned around to see Kragoth run around the staircase to bring her to her doom. He aimed a perfect shot into her. Trinity screamed the minute she saw his head get blast of from its shoulders and roll to her. The blindness eyes stared at her lifeless and Trinity gulped. She looked back at the body and blood was spouting out from where the head once stood like a fountain, painting walls and ceiling and most worse, her face. When the blood has been cut off the body fell on its knees and then to the ground. "Die, bitch." She heard Dessloch taunt as he ran after Freylis and finished her off as well. 

Soon afterwards Dessloch ran to her aid and helped her up. "What would you do without me?" He asked her as he picked her up and ran into the back cabin. Trinity used the Health Pack and took out the metal in her legs as Dessloch helped her get it out of her back. He heard Kyla and Mariana run through the hallway. Dessloch aimed at the Compressor and destroyed it in one shot. "Get into the control room." He ordered them and they nodded. 

Trinity stood up after healing herself a little and she jumped down where the Compressor is and ran behind the stairs and picked up the Big Keg O' Health which rejuvenated her strength. "Are you ready now?" Dessloch asked her and she looked up at him. "Yes, thank you." She ran up the stairs and back into the hallway.

She ran straight up the stairs she was once hiding behind and met up with Malakai, who was trying to ambush her in the strategy room. But when she ran out of the staircase hall she has surprised him and has fragged him before he even took aim. "5 minutes remaining." The announcer has said. His corpse was pinned to wall by the metal and she continued on into the second staircase hallway that should lead into the control room. 

_What happened to Kyla and Mariana? Shouldn't they be up at the control room?_ Trinity's question was soon answered when she has entered the first floor of the control room. Freylis was standing below the staircase and Trinity ripped her to pieces. An army of hot metal was shot out from Cryss and Kragoth on the second floor of the control room as Trinity ducked below the stairs. She strafed out into view and shot out a ball of metal straight into Cryss, decorating the control room with her inner organs. She strafed back behind the stairs to hide herself from Kragoth. She learned that Kragoth was dangerous.

Kragoth wasn't showing his face and Trinity knew she does not have all the time in the world. She ran into view and up the stairs. She found Kragoth standing next to the red button and firing of at her. Trinity rolled to her left in the far left corner and Kragoth missed completely. Trinity stood on her knee, aimed and fired a good shot that ripped Kragoth in pieces as his brains splattered across the windshield. 

Satisfied, Trinity comes to the button and pushes it hard. "The Blue Team has captured the Base in one minute and 17 seconds." Trinity looks out through bloody windshield and sees the two cannons power up and rotate towards the blast doors and fire off two magnificent shots at the gates. The two fireballs blazed through the morning air and crashed into the blast doors.

Trinity appeared in the spectator mode as the map has restarted. "Congratulation, Blue Team." A female computer voice has said. "Now that you have captured the ship you must protect it from the apposing team. They will not let you leave. Defend the base for one minute and seventeen seconds and the ship will regain its power core and will leave the dock. Remember, if the Red Team will deactivate the ship, you cannot leave the harbor. Good luck." 

"Everyone, defend the base." Trinity said as she activated her wristcom. Trinity appeared in the strategy room. She picked up the flak cannon sitting next to the exit of the first stairway hall. She noticed Malakai's corpse was gone. Trinity ran down to the bottom and heard there were people out on the dock. She ran to the entrance and saw Dessloch is firing at Cryss and Freylis with his minigun. Trinity decided to help him and fired with her primary fire and missed every shot because she was too far away.

Trinity smirked and aimed high into the sky and fired of the secondary fire and killed Cryss in one shot. Her blood has painted Dessloch completely in red and he stopped firing and looked at her. She ignored him for now as she fired of another shot and this time killing Freylis. "One minute remaining." The announcer has said as Dessloch ran back into the entrance. He was covered with Cryss' and Freylis' blood. He didn't look too happy about it either. 

He went passed her to get cleaned up and Trinity stepped into the dock. She saw Kragoth run out from the big fishing house and fired of a rocket. Trinity ducked and fired of another ball of metal, which toasted him and his remains. Trinity smiled but then the impact from the rocket has reached her and pushed her into the water. Trinity swum to the bottom and into the diving pool and ran all the way up to the entrance corridor, picking up the minigun on her way. 

Dessloch was sparring with Malakai and Cryss and has decimated them in seconds. After that no one came out into the dock. "10…9…8…7…" The time counted off slow and easy as she and Dessloch stood in the entranceway. "3…2…1. Congratulations, you are the winner." Trinity made a victory dance and screamed "Let's Rock!"  

(a/n): Sorry it took a while but I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Well please keep reviewing. You know what? I am so proud of this fic. Seriously, I am. Well bye-bye for now. ^_~


	15. A Friend Or An Enemy

Disclaimer: *sigh*. Forget it. I am not saying this again. Just look at all the other chapters.

Claimer: Trish, Zack and Jack are copyrighted. I'm not saying this again either.

(a/n): Hello everybody. I am so into this fiction that I can't take a break from it!!! I have to keep writing and writing and writing and writing and writing…. you get the idea.

Anyway in this chapter Dessloch will scream his head off at Trish for showering him with everybody's blood. Hey, it doesn't feel good at all. Also Trinity will meet Zacky-Becky in the practice session of the Last Man Standing.  

Here are some thanks to my reviewers:

**_Cough:_** Thank you for your compliments. I enjoyed writing that chapter myself. Well the reason Trish does not die is because she is not in the Championship yet. It also has something to do with her suit. Xan will take notice of course. Her suit is more of like Xan's suit, therefore making her completely invincible. Dessloch is also watching her back. I hope you keep reading. ^_^

**_Fun:_** I am really glad that you like this story. And no, I have to dedicate the ending to you. In one of your reviews, you wrote something that made me dedicate it to you. See if you can find it. It's five simple words you wrote in one of your reviews. If I don't dedicate it to you, it will be out of disrespect. So, enjoy my fic, Fun and I hope you like the new character! I like Zack myself. Say…do you think Xan made a mistake on imprisoning him??? Well tell me what you think.

**_Slash the Ironman: _**I thank you for your review. And it is okay about thanking me. I am the one who have to thank you. I hope you keep reading. Thank you so much for your encouragement.

**_R.Lee:_**  Thank you for reading this story. And yes, I know. I got a little carried away but then again, I haven't in a long time. Hope you keep reading, Lee. Anyway update your fics soon too, okay? Well enjoy.

So let's get on with the story. Enjoy. ^_^****

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Chapter15: A Friend Or An Enemy.

            Trinity was sitting in her room in one of her couches, checking her nails. Dessloch was standing up and pacing the room as he acted like her father. Complaining about how careless she is and how she needs to be a little easier on her opponents. Trinity usually gets bored at this kind of conversations and she usually spaces out.

            "No matter where I go with you, I always get splattered with your opponents blood or get hit by a body part or the whole body." Trinity rolled her eyes as she listened some more. "I mean in the Capture The Flag. I slipped on Karag's blood that was spilled from your minigun. Then there was Cryss. Her arm hit my face and I personally take it seriously when someone smacks me." Dessloch sat down in the armchair opposite from her. "And let's not forget getting showered by her and Freylis' blood."

            "Maybe the dead doesn't like you." Trinity joked as she looked around the room, completely bored. "Trish, it isn't funny." "Look." She interrupted him, getting really impatient. "I didn't complain when my face got painted with Kragoth's blood." She got up and she just wanted to leave this room. "First of all, you were dieing. I think it's better to be painted with blood than die. I in fact, was not dieing and I had everything under control." Dess defended his point of view.

            This always happened. Dessloch was never happy enough at any match she'd won. Sure he became more truthful to her but his complaints were bothering her. He reminded her of her father. Her father used to say how perfect she has to be. Trinity did her best, really. She is kind of sorry about doing this Dessloch. It was pure accidents. But it's not like she would apologize. She isn't going to get all-soft on him now. Well at least not until it's over. Her father used to say "Apology is never enough."

            "Are you listening to me?" Dessloch brought her back to reality and she looked at him. "Look, Dess." She said very innocently. "I can't help it. It was an accident." _But I'm not apologizing._ "Stuff happens. You have to let it go." Dessloch sighed and drowned in the armchair. "It just mystifies me how I'm the one who always get into these problems." Trinity came nearer to the door. "I'm going to practice, alright Dess? Want to come along?" She asked and Dess didn't budge. "Nah, I'm tired." She nodded and opened the door and then closed it.  

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            Zack Vicklair was in the Lift Hallway of the Last Man Standing Arena. Zack wasn't alone. There were three guys including him and they were waiting to be called on by the announcer. This is a practice match and Zack decided to fill his free time with entertaining crap instead of boring crap. Zack was sitting against a far back wall next to the exit and tanned himself with black paint. He smudged the paint beneath his eyes carefully and fixed his red armor. 

            Red wasn't his color. Although Kira tried to reassure him, he still knows it isn't his color. It's not like blue was his color, either. He looked good under black and dark green clothes. Yep, he did like his military clothes. At least there was something he liked about military, except for showing everyone who's in charge.

            The lift slowly hummed towards the level of the hallway. Zack turned his head and so a female approach the hallway from the lift. Zack's eyes completely stuck on her and couldn't take them off of her. She looked ABSOLUTELY gorgeous. He hasn't seen any attractive women here. Not like he was counting on that.

            The lady wore very high blue boots that went up to her hips. She seemed to wear a bathing suit of some sort and a black mask with dark sunglasses. Her long, long hair was unbraided and it went down to her waist. Zack felt his jaw literally drop and he closed it as fast as he could. It seemed electricity was running through her suit every time the light hit her suit. _Is she augmented or something?_ Zack finally tore his eyes off her and looked at his hands as he waited to be called on.

            "Welcome to the Last Man Standing Arena. Today four contestants are going to compete in an Arena against each other. Remember this is not a Tournament Stage. This is a practice session. We will call the contestants, as they will come onto the stage. Our first contestant is Malakai from the alien race Necris from the Black Legion. Let's welcome him." 

            Zack watched a guy with pale skin, which looked completely like a corpse, walk up to the lift and onto the stadium. Zack did not here a lot of cheering for him. Zack doesn't even expect any cheering for himself. He's not that popular and he DOESN'T want to be popular. He wants to finish this quickly and go home.

            "The next contestant is Zack Vicklair from Dark Phalanx. He is new and fresh on the Championship but doesn't mean he can't make it." Zack slowly walked up to the lift and a big giant crowd from both sides welcomed him with silence. Zack walked up to the center without even looking at the crowd. He doesn't need to. All he will see are dumbfounded faces staring at him like he came from a place never existed.

            "The third contestant is Tamerlane!!! He's currently a replacement member from Thunder Crash team. Everyone let's give a round of applause." This announcer was soon giving him headaches. They scream too loud. Kira did not mention anything about buying earplugs because now he desperately needs them. A big guy with dark green armor came into view. He was big alright and made him look small but Vicklair saw worse. Just like before, after you see a Skraaj, nothing will scare you. Ever.

            "The last contestant is the Almighty Number One contestant." Zack arched an eyebrow. _Who might that be? _ "Please everyone, let's welcome Trinity!!!!!!" Zack stared at the lift that was ascending with that same female he saw. So she's the one he has to beat in the Championship. Trinity came out into the arena and was welcomed with roars of cheers and cries. Posters hang up everywhere such as "I Love Trinity" or like the one "Marry Me Trish". Pity. She didn't even look at the crowd as she slowly came up to the middle. 

            "You all will have ten lives. Make them count. Good luck." Trinity slammed down the button and everybody stared at the screen above them. "Looks like our contenders are going to fight in the Arcane Temple!! Good Luck everyone." Zack was transported to the mysterious map.

            "The match will start in 5…4…3…2…1. The match has begun." Zack appeared in an open large room with ten thousand exits. There were second floors and sub floors. Zack was given all the weapons and he picked out the minigun. He grew close to its nice accuracy. A bullet wounded past his face and missed him by a millimeter. Zack staggered back and saw Tamerlane was standing in another room firing off his sniper. Zack stood on one knee and when he heard Tamerlane shoot the sniper, he would roll and nail him with his minigun. 

            Tamerlane was an easy target but what bothered him was a blue figure on the balcony. It must have been Trish but she didn't touch him. Zack ran to his left onto a ramp that divided into two passages. He went right that led up to the balcony.

            A rocket went straight past him when he has turned and heard someone switch to a minigun. Zack turned around and saw Trinity running up with hell raining down from here. Zack backpedaled as he went past the whole entire balcony and up a small ramp. He saw a Transporting Portal but he didn't go in. Wherever he'll appear, she can follow and he didn't want her to hold his head either. He knew she was dangerous. 

            He went up another ramp and jumped into a small water pool, which led to a waterfall. Zack grabbed and held by the walls of the mountains and waited to see if Trinity followed. He waited and waited but she didn't appear. Zack breathed out a long breath and eased a little. He looked down and saw that if he will fall down it's not going to hurt. The water was pretty deep. He strapped his Minigun to his back and dived, parting the water when it hit his hands. He spotted a tunnel and swum through it and into the small room. 

            He equipped himself with a minigun again and went up the ramp on the left, leaving footprints behind. Zack ran through the large, open room again which now seems like the central room. He went forward towards another ramp. The ceiling was arced and it was a shape of a mouth. Zack looked high up and saw openings very high up for eyes. This was a real carving of a face. Really convincing.

            Zack stopped wondering around and went up the ramp as he heard a heavy fire exchange between a minigun and a rocket launcher. He heard a few rockets impact on the wall and suddenly Zack didn't want to go that way. But he new he couldn't be cowering or hiding. There is a timer here and he doesn't like to be pressured. Time is never on his side. 

            Zack took a breath and decided to turn left and see what is happing. A long bridge that went up welcomed him. Zack looked up and saw Malakai running down the bridge and fire out a rocket. Zack strafed and hid behind the wall as the rocket missed and ran back to return some fire. 

            Malakai fired another one and Zack hid, the rocket missing completely. Zack returned and this time, finishing Malakai off. "First Blood!" The announcer has said. Zack crouched and crawled on his feet and slowly went out of the hall and examined the whole room. He heard someone teleport in the water below him as he examined the bridges that led to the second floor-like balcony and from there, a bridge led onto the third floor. A small ramp led downward towards a small pedestal above the water.

            Zack decided to go up to the balcony that contained so many columns but he wasn't expecting to find some ammo for his minigun, which he was running out off. Zack ran up the bridge that led to the third floor and heard a rocket shoot out from somewhere behind. 

            Zack turned around and saw the missile hit the bridge next to him and it sent him hurling away. Zack stood up and crouched as he fired off his minigun into the far left corner of the whole balcony as Tamerlane cowered behind the column. _Low ammo, Low ammo _blinked on his minigun and he quickly switched to his flak cannon. Zack popped his head back up and heard Tamerlane scream and he was ripped to shreds. 

            Malakai soon went up the lower bridge and started to turn and get onto his bridge to get at him. Zack started to fire off his flak cannon at him but Malakai was a Necris. These creatures were fast. He missed every shot. When finally Malakai was running in a straight line Zack shot out a ball of metal and decimated him. Malakai's leftovers and limbs flew in all direction and hit all the columns and even the ceiling as blood was splattered over the bridges.  

            Zack slowly stood up. This is going to be a long match. He didn't know what to think. He knows Trinity is a professional and what bothers him is that he hasn't met her face to face. He knew she was the one who teleported out of this area. He only knew another teleport location and it all can lead to this floor. What if she knew where is he? There are ramps leading straight to this floor! He has to get out.

            Just when he was about to make his move a barrel softly brushed through his blonde hair. Zack stood there in silence as the barrel rammed into his head harder. "Hello Vicklair."  A woman's voice purred behind him.

            Zack just stood there, mesmerized. Didn't know if he should move or stand still. He heard Trinity cock her minigun and his veteran instincts kicked in. Zack bend down so fast when he heard Trinity release fire. He wheeled around and made a high spinning kick with his right leg which send her minigun flying from her hands. Zack spun around again and tripped her. She made a soft sound when she landed on her back and Zack pinned her down with his strong body and looked into her eyes that are covered by the dark glasses.

            "I'm disappointed." Zack breathed into her face. Trish started to struggle but Zack was just too strong for her. "And there I thought you would finish me off just like that." Trinity didn't say anything only struggled. "Well, its nice meeting you." He took out a plasma gun with his free hand and pointed at her face.

            He was about to press the trigger but he didn't. He just stopped and stared at her. He had her, right there on the floor with a gun smacked in her face. What is preventing him? His mind. His mind does not allow him to do this. His career was over when he has accidentally killed a woman and child. He can't do it again, especially on purpose. 

            His pride is what he still has left within him. He can't kill her. He can't even frag her. Zack powered off his weapon and stood up. "Get out of here." He told her as he waved his gun to the exit behind her. Trinity seemed to sit up and look at him. He couldn't read her face because she covered most of it so he nodded. "Go." She hesitated at first but than she equipped her flak cannon and ran towards the exit she came from.

            He doesn't know what's gotten into him but maybe the past still haunts him. He hates his past and wishes to forget but he can't. Zack sighed and sat down on the floor and he didn't know what to do. 

            Zack was disqualified from the match a few minutes after his little bump in with Trinity. Of course he stayed to see the outcome and the winner happened to be Trinity. Not like he thought it would be someone else. 

            When Zack went back to the Red Bunker, Kira met him with full of curses and questions. "What's gotten into you? Why didn't you shoot her? Do you want to be out of the Red Team? Are you suicidal?" Poor Zack couldn't answer one question as she rained him with more. Zack came up to his new room and turned to look at his crazy captain. "Xan will here about this." Finally she said something that is not a question. "Shoot me." Zack said as he slammed the door in her shocked face.

(a/n): Well how was this chapter? Did you like it? Did you hate it? What do you think about the Vicklair? Well tell me!! Anyway more is coming up soon. Please review. 


	16. Once A Friend, Now An Enemy PART I

(a/n): Oh my goodness!! Guys? I love all of you! SERIOUSLY!!! You three are my favorite reviewers!!!!!!!!!! AHHHH!!!!!!! Thank you so much!! THANK YOU! Okay. This is to all three of you, **Fun, COUGH, Slash the Ironman: **

I want to say that I really like Zack, a lot. I am so glad you like him as well. Well keep reading and you will all find out what will happen. Will Zack fall in love with Trish? Will he have a hard time with Dess? Will Trish's heart be broken? Will she fall for Zack? Will Dess be his enemy? Will Zack turn on the Red Team? Or will he stay? Or is it all just nothing really important? You will find out all through out this book. 

I have mentioned that there are going to be 2-3 characters that you won't know and I have finished adding them. Zack, Trish and Jack. These chapters will be now be the chapters where everything comes together and the real plot starts to take action. But this is not the end yet. 

So my good readers, Enjoy. ^_^

Chapter16: Once A Friend, Now An Enemy. PART I

            Dessloch was treating Trinity's wounds carefully. Taking out some bullets from her back and dressing her wounds. Dess cannot believe what just had happened. Their whole team was attacked by Liandri Corporation Troops. Either Xan was afraid of Trinity winning and wanted her out of the tournament or they have found out Trish was Tanya Menace. Everyone got out safely and Dess is glad. This team is his family and he won't lose it.

            "How many more to go?" Trinity asked in pain as she arced her back. "Just one more, baby. Hang in there." Dess got the last bullet out and dropped it in the container with water. "Why have they attacked us?" She asked as she put her shirt back on and buttoned it. "I don't know but I bet Xan has something to do with it." Dess wiped his hands and helped her up from the desk. "That bastard." Trinity sounded very angry.

            Xan wasn't an all time Champion of Unreal Tournament. He was an all time Coward of Unreal Tournament. Eliminating the best and let the weak prevail so they were easy targets during the Championship. "When does the next match start?" She asked as she came up to the mirror and examined her face as she took of her mask and glasses. "Uh, in a few hours. They should let us participate but we should be careful when there are no locals around. The Liandri Troops can do anything they like when no one's watching."

            He saw Trinity nod as and she turned around and leaned on the counter. "We have to get ready then." She took a towel and wiped her face from sweat. "You're not going." Dessloch said and looked dead into her eyes. "What do you mean I'm not going? I have to—" "It's to dangerous. They might have found out who you are." Dessloch started to go to the other room and Trinity stopped him. 

"This is my team. I have to go." Dessloch cupped her face and looked into her eyes. "I can't let you see be hurt. Not ever." He saw her smile and place her hands on his. "Don't worry." She pecked him on his lips softly. "I won't. You'll be there to frag those cowards behind my back." Dessloch face didn't falter. "But what if I won't be fast enough?" This time Trinity kissed him. "Then I'll fry'em myself." He saw Trinity smile and Dessloch gave in. He nodded and let go of her. "What ever happens out there, Trish. Be careful." Trinity smiled and nodded. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

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Zack was in the red bunker walking around aimlessly. He has nothing to do, absolutely nothing at all. He could go to the Practice Session but he kind of doesn't want to. He had enough with the disqualification stuff. So much is coming back to him. His past, he can see it so clearly just like the present. He doesn't know what it means but it certainly doesn't make him feel better. 

The feeling at being at war with his old buddies, huddling in the trenches, exchanging ammo, and wishes and dreams they have talked about, he can still remember. Chris mentioning that he dreams to have a daughter so she could heal instead of destroy. Kale saying that he wishes to see the war end during his lifetime. And then there was the youngest. A new recruit said something about being dragged into war. His dream was to meet his family someday. He was young very young. Maybe sixteen or seventeen and is already being dragged to war. Sad really, but they were all buddies and welcomed him as a brother.

He was ruthless and determined. He did mention that he will make a difference and he taught him something. He taught him to stay strong even during tight situations. "There is always more than one way." He used to say. So young and yet so strong. But what was his name? He couldn't remember, Luther something, maybe Laker or Lock. He couldn't remember for sure.

But no matter, they were still buddies and then one day; they were separated to different units. He was transferred to the Omega team with Chris while Kale and Luther transferred to the Alpha team. It was when everything was destroyed. 

Zack shook his head to forget the memories and went out into the main hall. "I need help." Zack said as he rubbed his hurting head. "You look like crap." Zack looked up at the girl that has said it and saw a girl standing there in uniform. "Pardon me?" He asked her and she giggled. "I said you look like crap." He frowned and asked her. "What? That is supposed to make me feel better?" Ivana laughed out loud and slapped him on his shoulder. "You need a break." "Sorry, no summer or winter breaks here." She laughed harder and clutched her stomach. "Too bad, huh?" Zack nodded and smiled for the first time.

He leaned on the wall and looked around the room and saw there was another Last Man Standing Arena is being set on the news bulletin board. "I'll be back in a moment." Zack said as he looked at the requirements of the match. Two people are required and each will have 5 lives. Zack smiled and nodded.

He came up to the front desk and said, "Sign me up for the Last Man Standing in the Heal Pod." Zack said and smiled broadly. The robot acknowledged and went to get his armor ready. 

When Zack has arrived into the Lift Hallway it was empty. Somehow Zack thought he isn't going to have an opponent but he should. There are thousand of people in the tournament. One should at least show up. Zack sighed and sat in the far corner and started to paint his face again. It's a tradition of a soldier even a veteran. He is used to it and he loves it.

The lift started to go up and a guy in blue armor, probably from the blue team came into the hall. His face was also tanned. Three wide strikes went down his face, covering his eyes and nose. His tans were green and wore a mercenary's hat. His eyes were yellow and cold, just like Zack's left eye. The man didn't look at him but just stood next to the other lift that leads to the stadium.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to another Practice Session Last Man Standing. This match is one on one in a specific area, the Heal Pod. The opponents could heal themselves at this amazing column that rejuvenates health. Each player will have five lives and they will fight for five minutes to pressure them more in the battlefield. Please let's welcome Dessloch from the Blood Reavers and Zack Vicklair from the Dark Phalanx." Zack saw "Dessloch's" eyes shot at him when he has heard the name.

Dessloch did not say anything. He went up the lift and Zack heard the crowd roar. Now Zack is guessing that all the announcer has to mention is that you are from the Reavers team and everybody will go crazy. 

Zack went after him and into the stadium. This stadium was smaller but was still packed with lots of spectators and people. Zack came up to the middle and nodded at Dessloch but he wasn't looking at him. Dessloch slammed down the button and they were transported to the mystifying Heal Pod.

"The match will start in 5…4…3…2…1, begin." Zack appeared on the second floor of the map. The layout of the map was simple. There were three floors. In the middle there was a giant hall and a long large column that went through all the floors. The floors could be accessed by jumping from a higher floor to the next or the elevator to go up. There was also a large liquid substance trapped by a force field on the very first floor that holds up the entire middle column. This must be the Healing Pod. 

Zack jumped down and switched to his minigun and searched for his opponent. He somehow felt that he had lots of experience in this place. But no matter, he won't lose it like last time.

Zack went through a tiny hallway pressing a button while running and heard a large thump sound behind him. Zack turned around and saw the column was pushed down, covering the healing pod. If anyone was standing there, they would be crushed.

He made a mental note to himself to be careful at that location. Zack continued down the hallway and up the ramp. He turned to the left and went across a bridge that was divided by a column that went straight through it. Zack ended up at the same location before and then he frowned. He started to run to the left and something sparked in his eye which made him cover it. 

Soon afterwards he heard a sniper shot and a bullet landed past his ear. Zack rolled and screamed out in pain as he grabbed it. He looked up and saw Dessloch was standing in a very dark opening on the third floor he hasn't noticed. Zack aimed at Dess' head but was disrupted when Dessloch shot out another shot into his minigun which made him drop it. Zack quickly equipped a sniper rifle and hid behind a column. He drew out a long breath and rolled out into view and shot out quickly using his quick aiming skills. 

He heard Dessloch scream in pain as Zack got him in the eye through the scope he was aiming. Zack smiled at his perfect accuracy and watched his opponent's body fall straight to the second floor. "First Blood." The announcer has said and Zack ran up to his minigun and picked it up while rolling. 

A fire came from somewhere, a sniper fire, and Zack was hit in the head. Zack screamed out in pain as he was fragged by Dessloch from a far distance. Zack appeared in the first floor hallway that had a column in the middle that went straight through the second floor bridge. 

Zack ran up the closest ramp as his head was ringing really hard. Getting fragged did not feel good at all. It felt like you die but then you survive. Zack went through the second floor hallway and onto the second floor. He checked and made sure Dessloch wasn't hiding in the hidden openings. 

Zack screamed as a minigun fire reached him from above. Zack rolled away and noticed Dessloch standing on the third floor. He heard him switch to the rocket launcher and Zack crouched and carefully crawled backwards. He scanned the whole third floor but the problem was, he couldn't find Dessloch.

A rocket was extinguished from blackness that totally took Zack by surprise. Zack was thrown back and he hid behind the column as he heard Dessloch drop to the second floor. Zack spun and got into view and fired of his minigun as he ran behind the next column. Dessloch rolled and crouched as a few shots hit him in the legs but it didn't affect him. Dessloch equipped his minigun again a railed him with a few bullets before he reached the new column. Zack pulled out a bullet from his armor near his neck and saw his blood pour down. Dessloch IS a professional.

Zack danced around behind the column as he strafed left and right raining down at Dessloch with bullets from hell. Dessloch seemed to do the same thing but something else as well. He was actually advancing him. Zack backpedaled and ran to the next column as they kept rounding the middle. 

Zack turned to fire at his opponent but he didn't see him. _Where did he go?_ Zack carefully took a step back and Dessloch appeared behind the column HE was hiding behind and slugged him with holes of death. Zack did his best to ignore the pain but it was too painful. This guy is no regular opponent at the Unreal Tournament. These tactics…ruthless and yet right on target, could he really be one of his men?? Zack had no clue.

Zack appeared in the same hallway and this time he went forward. He new Dessloch was hurt, there is no doubt he will try to heal himself. He must find that switch somewhere…

Zack went up to the end of the hallway and the switch. He could see the Pod but no one was near it. Zack was totally confused now. Zack calmly waited him out but then…what was that sound.

Zack looked up and saw a very little opening in the ceiling and Dessloch was loading rockets into his rocket launcher. Zack backpedaled and the three rockets missed him. Thankfully the impact didn't get to him as well. Zack crouched and aimed at the ceiling. He didn't know what to do but he heard running on the top bridge.

Zack shot out his minigun when he saw Dessloch again. Dess fired off another rocket and Zack hid behind the wall but the impact got him. Zack bit his lower lip to keep from screaming out as he carefully looked to see if Dessloch was still there and only got another rocket fired at him.

A long breath and a minigun was all he needed. Zack nodded to absolutely no one as he crouched and crawled backwards away from the wall as far as possible. He then crawled sideways and found Dessloch standing there, waiting for him. Zack fired his gun and shot Dessloch in his chest as he fired another rocket. This time it totally missed him and Zack hid behind the wall. 

He checked his ammo and saw he had plenty. He waited a little and then froze at the footsteps above him. He followed the sound and saw Dessloch jumping from the second floor bridge where the column is. Zack ran backwards and rammed down on the trigger, decimating Dessloch in the air. He must have hit him in an important blood vessel because his now open armor and chest was spurting out blood and painting the walls and ceilings. "Nailed'im"

Zack went behind the wall next to the switch and brushed the blood off his eyes so he could see. Zack went passed the switch without pressing it and decided to rejuvenate his health. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Dessloch jump down to the first floor behind the Healing Pod. 

Fire was exchanged immediately as the two mercenaries hid behind columns. Zack checked his status and it didn't seem good. His armor was cut open by the rockets and bullets. He was also vulnerable at his right leg because his boot was also ripped open.

He heard Dessloch enter the Healing Pod and Zack couldn't run back to the switch because he will be dead by then. Zack took another long breath and ran out as he fired at Dessloch and found him darting out and in the Pod. Zack choked on his blood when a bullet met his head. He slumped down to his knees and then to the floor.

Terrible, terrible headache is going to welcome him at the end of this match. He'll regret it for sure. Two more lives left. Zack appeared on the third floor and he decided to try and find those secret passages. They were somewhere in that far back wall in the dark. It would be safer to play a waiting game with him than run and shoot, Zack figured. 

Zack got up on the ledge and felt a railing in the dark wall. Zack tried to touch the wall but found none. He smiled and jumped over the railing and turned left through a dark, red hallway that soon followed to a poorly lit fan-room where there was obviously a fan in the ceiling. Zack carefully went to the opening and saw the whole area below him. No wonder it makes a good sniping spot. 

Bullets ripped through his armor in the back as Dessloch found him. Zack jumped down and fired a rocket in the air at the ceiling at the opening, hoping the impact got Dessloch. Zack screamed in pain as he landed on his back on the first floor. He spit out some blood and painfully stood up and ran for the Healing Pod.

Zack went straight through it and into the hallway with the switch. He pressed it just in case and then heard Dessloch was on the second floor again. Without Zack's surprise, Dessloch fell through the same opening and fired off. Zack got behind the column in the middle of the hallway which was the only thing separating them. Zack strafed and finished Dessloch off as he shot into his head.

Dessloch made a human's terrible cry of agony as his face was turned to smashed and ripped apart skull. His face wasn't there anymore as he was nearly headless. Halve of his temple was gone as dark, think blood oozed out and Dessloch died on the floor. "Oh Yeah." He taunted and went up the second floor.

It was even now. He had two lives left and so did Dessloch. He now needs to be very careful. "3 minutes remaining." Zack almost jumped out of his own skin when the announcer boomed into his earphone. The time. He totally forgot about the time. Zack couldn't hurry, though, because this Dessloch would slaughter him.

Zack ran out onto the second floor and dodged the rocket that Dessloch fired off. Zack was waiting for that. He sprinted and then rolled away from the impact that missed him completely. Zack got onto his feet and shot out his minigun at Dessloch who jumped down to this floor. Zack missed the first hits but after Dessloch equipped the minigun and fired straight at him he became more accurate. 

The two great opponents danced around the middle hole again, hiding behind columns as they ran to the new ones, dodging and taking hits. Zack didn't stop this time because he knew that Dessloch wants to gain on him. He kept running backwards and firing off. But Dessloch had reached him sooner and had killed with a hard hit of bullets into the stomach. Zack grabbed his abdomen and opened his mouth to make a distressing sound but nothing came out. 

This is it he's last life. Zack appeared in a very strange hallway. The bad news is, it was an open space and you couldn't hide. Somehow Dessloch found him and started to rain bullets on him. Zack backpedaled against the walls without looking back. If he would bump into a wall he would strafe to any direction. Whatever happened, he did not look back. Dessloch was right there, taking his life bit by bit. 

Zack felt weak when he finally ran to the familiar second floor. Zack jumped down and healed himself as he ran through the hallway with the switch. But he kept running. He didn't stop he couldn't stop.

Dessloch kept in full pace with Zack as he ran back out onto the first floor. This time Zack tried the elevator that took him straight to the third floor. Another elevator was activated and Zack fired off as Dessloch came into view on the second elevator. He ran out of the small space but couldn't run far.

Zack riddled him with his minigun and killed him at last. "Take THAT!" Zack screamed out and he placed his hand on his abdomen, as he couldn't run anymore. He was too tired. He couldn't even hold his minigun anymore. 

Zack dropped his gun the minute he heard the sniper against his head being loaded. "You are pretty cocky for a rookie." He heard Dessloch say. "Take THIS!" Zack's head was blown of his shoulders and he slumbered into a painful death. 

"Dessloch has won the match!" The announcer has said and they were transferred back to the stadium with cheers.  

-To Be Continued

(a/n): It's not the end yet. I just decided to give you a little break since this is six pages long in Microsoft Word. Please review to tell me what you think. The second part will be updated very soon. 


	17. Once A Friend, Now An Enemy PART II

(a/n): Hello! Everybody!! How are you all doing?? I hope you are doing great!! Anyway here is a second part of the Once A Friend, Now An Enemy. But first, I want to thank my reviewers:

**_Cough:_** I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I do my best on all of that kind of stuff. Hope you keep reading, because more matches are coming up. ^_~ 

**_Fun:_** Oh my god!! You make me jump up and down every time I read your reviews! Yes, you are right. With a little practice and Zack might just be as cool as Dess. 

Lacrease: Shame on you Dessloch.

Dessloch: What? It wasn't my fault!!!

Lacrease: As Fun colorfully put it; you need practice, practice, practice!!

Dessloch: I would've beaten him for perfect if it was a different author.

Lacrease: If it was a different author, you wouldn't exist, pal. Because you're not that famous in UT.

Dessloch:…..

Anyway, thanks so much for reading. And you'll find out what Trish thinks about all of this. The secret between Dessloch and Zack will be, also, revealed in this chapter. Enjoy!

**_Slash The Ironman:_** Yep, he did show him whose boss. I'm glad you liked it. Well here's the chapter you were waiting for. ^_*.

Chapter17: Once A Friend, Now An Enemy. Part II

            Dessloch was in the medical, getting examined by one of the doctors. "Now tell me again. From which floor you fell from?" Her raspy, old voice has perched when she put down the medical chart. "From the third." Dessloch didn't bother to sound polite to her either. She was growing on his nerves especially with her voice.

            The doctor took off her glasses from her beaky nose and sat them aside. "You should be careful in the future. You might not be so lucky. You—" "Look, I don't need you to tell me the information I already know. Just tell me my stats and I will leave." The doctor bored into his eyes and sighed. "Your stats are perfectly fine. You bruised a few ribs but they should heal soon." Dessloch nodded and got off the medical bed, relieved.

            Dessloch's eyes quickly fell on his opponent, Zack Vicklair. Oh he remembers him, alright. He was a good person, a really good person until that one day. That day that Dessloch will never forget. "How is he?" He asked as he found a shirt and put it on. "Vicklair's stats are stable. He should be able to go to his room today." 

            "Good, good." Dessloch murmured under his breath and came over to him and saw him breath slowly, his chest going up and down, up and down, up and down. Dessloch wanted to kill that bastard right on the spot. 

            "Stay away from the patient, please." Dessloch clutched his knuckles when he heard the doctor's voice ring through his ears. He took a step back and saw Kyla come in the medical with a nurse's garment through the entrance. _Right on schedule. _Dessloch thought as he smiled to himself.

            "Doctor, I am here to take over for the rest of the night." Kyla politely said to the old wench. "Right, thank you…" "Rosalinda." Kyla has said. "Oh right. You're that new nurse. Yes, very well. Good night." The doctor walked away and they were both silent, waiting for her to get far so she didn't hear. 

            "I thought you wouldn't come." Dessloch said and saw Kyla smile. "Yeah, well. It was kind of hard to get past the Liandri Troops." "Those bastards." Dessloch growled and slammed his fist into the wall. "Now, now. Behave yourself." Kyla walked up to 

Zack and took of the wires that were plugged into his skin.

            Kyla gasped when Zack grabbed her hand firmly and his brutal eyes shot open. Kyla wrenched her hand away from him and backed away as Zack stood on his feet and his eyes landed on Dessloch's. "Well, well, well." Dessloch said as he came up to him. "Isn't it the all time famous leader of the Omega team, Zack Vicklair?" Zack's eyes showed confusion and Dessloch smiled at Zack's question. "You know me?" Dess felt like laughing out loud. He has forgotten him. After all he has done to him. "What's the matter, Vicklair? Having an amnesia?"    

            Zack's eyes darken and he knotted his knuckles into fists as Dessloch continued. "Don't you remember me?" Dessloch saw Zack's eyes widen with surprise. "It can't be." He quietly said. "Oh, but it can." Dessloch came up to him face to face. "What the matter, Vicklair? Thought I died? Thought you got rid of me for good. Well guess again."

            Zack lowered his head, as he looked ashamed. "Luther…it wasn't my fault." He looked up at him. "I had to do what was right." "Nobody does the right thing!" Dessloch screamed out. "What was the right thing, Vicklair? Put an innocent man in prison? And then sell him off into the tournament?" Zack's eyes pierced Dessloch's. "Innocent? You weren't innocent." "What do you know!? Nothing at all! That's what! You don't know how glad am I that you're here. I'll pay you back all the hospitality you have given me."

            "The tournament has changed you." Zack simply said. "The tournament? No, no. You have changed me, my friend. You have destroyed my life, my future, everything!" Dessloch screamed out each of his words. "Just for what exactly, Vicklair? For money?" Zack lowered his head again and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Luther." "Sorry doesn't cut it." Dess spit back. "You have turned me into a monster! You have taken my vision from me!" Zack backed up a step as Dessloch approached him further. "You have taken my freedom. My life, my…everything." Dessloch quietly said. "And I haven't done anything." 

            This time, Dessloch lowered his head and closed his eyes as he started to remember his brutal past. Bombs, everywhere. Feeling betrayed and no one on his side. Panting and sweating from heat and running. He almost made it out, he was almost home, almost escaped the torture. And there he was, Zack Vicklair, standing on top of that hill, pointing the gun straight at his tiring, bruised face.

            Dessloch snapped back into reality. "Why?" Dessloch quietly asked. Zack didn't have the answer for the youth in front of him, he, too, knew he was wrong. "Why have you done this? Couldn't you just have let me go? Couldn't let me slip by?" Dessloch was very quiet as visions from the past came back.

            He shot his head to Zack and fury was burning in his eyes. Dessloch punched Zack in his stomach and he fell to the ground. "Well, now that you're here. I guess I will have my vengeance." Zack stood up slowly. "Don't do this Luther, you're not like them." "Then why have you imprisoned me just like everybody else?" Dessloch asked as he curled his lip. "You have made a mistake coming here." Dessloch pulled back his hand to throw another punch but stopped at Zack's words. "I was forced to come here. Like you were. I was imprisoned as well." Dessloch put down his arm and stared at him with disbelief.

            "Then…how come you are on the Red Team?" "I was forced by this guy named Xan." Dessloch's soul burned with hatred at the mention of that name. "So why are you helping them out?" Dessloch plainly asked but Zack did not answer. "You have put my whole team in danger, you worthless piece of shit!" Dessloch punched him again but Zack ducked and his fist slammed into the wall, leaving an imprint of it.

            "Come here, you bastard!" Zack grabbed Dessloch's punch and hit him with his other fist. Luther backed off and grabbed his nose as blood ran from it. Kyla watched the two males exchange hits and kicks. She was amazed. She never expected this too happen. She couldn't help anyone of them out. It's their fight, alone.

            "Luther, calm down. I'm not helping them out!" Zack placed a data chart in front of his face as Luther's fist broke it. "Really?" Dessloch sounded pretty calm but he was acting berserk. "How else they knew where Trinity was!? She got shot, you son of a bitch!" Zack rolled of into the distance as he kept dodging Dessloch's hits. "Look! I'm gaining my freedom, alright!" Zack screamed back as he danced around the room. "I didn't even know you were here! Seriously!"

            Dessloch stopped and looked dead into his eyes. "So you're just helping yourself out? You don't care who gets hurt in the process!? You make a lousy soldier, Vicklair." Zack took a breather and shot back at Dessloch. "I am not a soldier. I was relieved from my command." Dessloch smiled which seemed very annoyed. "Yeah? Then why tell that fucking Liandri, about her suit!? How did you know in the first place? Why did you tell them where she went?" 

            "So I could gain my trust from Xan and get closer to him. The minute I would, I would tear him apart." Dessloch's eyes fired up, as he was angered even more. "You put her life in danger just so you could get a chance to kill Xan!? Why, you bastard!" Dessloch climbed over the table and hit Zack in the face with his foot. 

            Zack crumbled on the floor and coughed up his blood. "I will not let you hurt her, you MONSTER!" Kyla closed her eyes when Dessloch raised Zack's head by his hair. "You can go to hell!" Dessloch swung an uppercut at Zack's face and he spun across the room. "Maybe I could've forgiven you for imprisoning me, but Trish—Never! I will never forgive you."

            Zack got up and wiped his mouth with his backhand. "You're berserk, Dessloch." He angered him more and Dessloch ran straight at him and tackled him. "You will pay for this." He snarled and swung a punch at Zack. Zack caught it and rolled over, forcing Dessloch into the floor. "I tried to be nice to you, Luther." Zack said and this time he punched him.

            Dessloch tilted his head to his right and Zack's knuckle shattered the plates in the floor. Dessloch put a knee between him and Zack and pushed him off into the wall. Luther quickly got up and slammed him into the wall with his body. 

            Dessloch held him by his throat and took a surgical blade from a berth and forced it against Zack's neck. "I knew I could never trust you, Vicklair. I spent years in my CAGE mourning about that day. Thinking if I should forgive you. You've proven me wrong. God have mercy on you, because I won't."

            "What the hell is going on here?" Dessloch whipped his head at Trinity standing in the entrance hall.

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            Trinity, alone, came into the medical, wearing an official Blood Reavers suit with a mask and glasses covering her face. Dessloch dropped the blade he was holding along with Zack.

            "Trinity! What are you doing here!? Its dangerous!" Dessloch ran up to her and held her by her shoulders. "I…" She slumped her head on her collarbone. "I came to see if you were okay." She quietly said. Dessloch only frowned. "And you didn't care if you were in danger?"

            "It's not dangerous." Zack said as he stood up slowly and rubbed he neck. "The Liandri Troops are waiting for her in the West Wing of the Blue Bunker. I know because I told them she'd be there."

            Dessloch's eyes burned. "Why you bastard! You led them straight to our Bunker!" He made a move just when Trinity grabbed his arm. "You're wrong, Dess. Our Home is not there anymore. We are now in the North Wing, next to the Necris. Zack told me that they'll be waiting for me there, so the Necris were kind enough to lend us free space."

            This time, Dessloch's eyes shot up at her. "Zack told you?" He shook his head and tried to confirm it but couldn't. "You are telling me that this slagger—" He pointed at Zack. "—teamed up with you? This man is dangerous!" Trinity put a finger to his lip which shut him up. "You're wrong, Dessloch." She said in a soothing voice, that didn't make feel better at all.

            "He is the one who gave us the room to get patched up." Dessloch's eyes widened in disbelief. "And you don't even think he's a spy? What if there were cameras? What if he's gaining our trust? Didn't that slip your mind?"

            Trinity lowered her head, she had no words. Luther was about to blow up. All his time in the tournament, he fought against Xan. Trinity thought of him as a spy, no matter how many times he has proven her wrong. And now, she will trust this Vicklair with her life and she doesn't even know him.

            "Tell him." Zack said from behind as he came up towards the two. "Tell me what?" Dessloch asked, confused as he looked at Zack and then back at Trish. She seemed to slump her shoulders in defeat.

            "I haven't been quite honest with you, Dess." Dessloch's eyes widened even more with shock. He didn't know what to expect from her now. He had no clue of what she might say. She might tell him that she's the spy or that she works for Xan. She might say that she was ordered to kill him.

            More and more thoughts came into his mind, each getting uglier as they kept coming. He shook his head to shake the feeling. No he was wrong. She can't be any of that, he loves her, and she loves him back.

            Dessloch looked at Trinity. "Tell me." She seemed to hesitate and he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked carefully into her eyes. "Tell me." He said it quietly. Trinity slowly looked at Zack and he nodded. "I…" She started as she sounded very hurt and uncomfortable. "Zack, here." She turned to look at him. Dessloch followed her gaze as she continued on. "Zack was my trainer before I entered the tournament. Zack is my friend, Dess." Dess's eyes were widened as he was just mentally hit in the gut and he was beyond shocked. 

(a/n): Well now you can guess what Trinity thinks about all this, huh? Well anyway. I hope you liked this chapter. Sorry if its not posted very soon but my phone line is not that good. I can't get on the Internet because of it. So pardon me for the delays. Please review. 


	18. Normandy Shoreline

(a/n): Hello! I'm back!!! Whew! I was sick this whole week and I feel absolutely better and ready to write more! I am really glad you liked the last chapter. Like I have said before, the plot it starting to play. Well this chapter will include a match and some explanation from Trinity. What will Dess do? Will he rip out Zack's guts? Will he give up on Trinity or will he still love her? Oh and lets not forget what will Zack do with the red team. But first here are some thank yous to my reviewers!

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**_Slash The Ironman:_** I'm glad you like how my story's plot twisted. I didn't expect you to like it. But hey, seems like your enjoying it. That's good news. And yeah, your right, no body likes Dess anymore. Poor Dessloch, poor, poor Dessloch. Not to worry, he'll get his vengeance and his bride. ^_~. Hope you keep reading.

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**_Fun:_** I am so glad you like it. Don't worry. Remember I'm dedicating the end to you, so no worries. I know you love Trish and Dess. I love them too. Complications are always needed to make a good plot. Well keep reading because you will like the ending. It is so sweet! It makes me tear sometime! Tear in a good way.

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**_Cough:_** Hello! Yeah I know, most of my chapters contain cliffhangers but, hey, don't mind me. I just love cliffhangers. I don't know why. Although I don't like when a book is ending with a cliffhanger. Anyway not to worry, the end of the book is not going to be a cliffhanger, okay? Oh and more matches are coming up! Enjoy!

Well onto the story and most importantly, ENJOY! ^_^ 

Chapter18: Normandy Shoreline

            Dessloch was washing his face with cold water in the bathroom. He was experiencing many feelings at once and didn't feel good at all. Zack, once a good friend but then betrayed Dessloch, was now also Trinity's personal trainer in tactics and weapons. He was completely speechless and he doesn't know what to say. He loves her, he knows that for sure and because of that his heart aches. He never thought he would love anyone, ever. But when he was proven wrong he now feels the pain of love. Truth and love hurt a lot but the worst part is that he never saw it coming.

            Dessloch turned off the water and wiped his face on a clean towel and walked out. The quarters were empty. The whole team went their separate ways for now. They should be back in a few hours for a meeting. Dess decided to stay because he didn't want to go anywhere. 

            He thought about all the things he shared with Trish. He really thought they really had something in between them. He couldn't believe it but there was something between them. The problem is, is that he never expect it to break like that, easily. Why did Trinity even allow him if she was with Zack? Maybe it wasn't as serious as he thought or maybe it was. Why didn't anyone tell him? He feels so pathetic.

            Dessloch shook his head from his thoughts quickly. What is he thinking about? He is a warrior; he shouldn't worry about these things. He is a grown up man and he should worry about more important things. But then, he just misses her. He just misses her voice, her touch, everything. He got so used to be with her, it became like a drug. He became addicted and now he can't get her out of his head.

            Dessloch ran his fingers through his hair to cool himself. He'll need to talk to her. No way will some punk take her away from him. She is part of him now and he won't allow it. Zack didn't deserve her. He didn't at all. 

            "Luther? You okay?" Dess looked up at Boris who sat next to him. "You're early." Dessloch said as he looked away. "Yeah, well I got bored." Boris was a good guy, his best pal, anyway. Luther decided to talk to him about the matches to get his mind off things. "The match starts soon." Boris nodded. "Yeah, I heard it's going to be the last. Dunno whom we are fighting against though."

            Like they ever knew whom they fight against. Most of the time it was a surprise, sometimes it wasn't. Dessloch got used to it. "I see she's still on your mind." Luther looked at Boris surprised. "Am I that really easy to read?" He asked as he buried his head into his hands. Boris chuckled and patted him on the back. "She's a good woman, I can tell you that. And yeah, I know you for a long time, you are easy to read." Dessloch shrugged and sat back.

            "She always surprises me, you know. I can never guess what she's thinking. I mean I would have never guessed Zack and Trish knew each other." Luther said in a sad way. "I have to agree. She's not an easy woman, Luther. But good things are always hard to get. You have to learn that." Luther thought about what he has said and didn't feel better at all. He already knows that. He just doesn't think he's good enough anymore. "Why don't you go see her?" Dess' eyes widened. "Are you serious?" He watched Boris nod. "Go on. Talk to her. I'm sure she never meant to do this to you. She just didn't want you to hurt her friend. Maybe she didn't want to lie to you anymore." Dessloch played with the idea a little longer. "Alright." He stood up. "I guess it's worth a try." Boris nodded and Dessloch left.

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            Zack was with his team in the Lift Hallway. This is their last match. He heard it takes in the last assault map area. Zack was still shocked from Luther. He never expected to meet him here. He didn't even know he was here. Zack admits it. It was his fault that Luther was arrested but if he hasn't captured him, the League would have killed him. He knows it. The League does not ask questions. If prisoners run, they shoot them, as easy as that.

            His throat hurt like hell since his little encounter with Luther. This tournament has sharpened Luther's skills. He can feel it. Luther used to be so young and skeptical about ways of attacking. Now he is mostly like a monster whose adrenaline had leaked out. The tournament has made him stronger but it has weakened his soul. At least Luther used to be a kid with feelings, now he was a machine. Zack knew it was his fault, but he wouldn't bare Luther to be dead. If the kid still hates him or not, he will still try his best to help him. It was his duty and still is.

            "The match starts soon, are you ready?" Ivana asked him interrupting his thoughts. Zack nodded in return and double-checked his armor. Zack didn't beat himself up much over Luther's change. At least he still got feelings. Any idiot will guess that there is something going on between Trinity and Luther. Not that he cares but he knows Trish for a long time. He doesn't want her to get hurt by Luther because Luther needs to change a little first. Maybe he needs to spend more time with her. 

            Zack didn't know exactly so he doesn't much care. All he knows is that he will protect Trinity from anyone. He knows her true identity too. That's why he needs to help her. He knew her father well. Her father had taught him lots of stuff, and he was grateful. Now its time to fulfill a promise he promised to the old man. 

            Zack was a much older man, then Trish. He is a man of thirty-five years with more than halve of his years as a soldier and a veteran. He counted Trinity as his younger sister somehow. He has never felt like falling in love with her but maybe because she was young. Right now she is a beautiful young woman and very attractive. Not that it bothers Zack; it's just that he always looked at her as a sibling. He knew he would always look at her that way.  

            The past that haunts Zack is not the only thing. But his experience as well. Zack once loved someone, dearly. He would give his life for her. But something wrong has happened. The Skraaj attacked the city she has lived. It was terrible, absolutely terrible. After that Zack could not allow himself to be loved. And that is why he cares for Trinity so much. He wants her to have a fulfilling life and a happy one.

            "Welcome to yet another assault match of the Unreal Tournament. Today our contestants are going to battle in the Overlord! This map takes place in Normandy during World War II defenses, a perfect place for our contestant to go head to head. Today, the two teams are the legendary Dark Phalanx and the THUNDER CRASH team!!!" The crowds cheered at the name Thunder Crash. He has heard of it. It's a team where Malcom is; he was the one who won second place in the Statistic of the Tournament. This is going to be a hard match. A very hard match. 

            The two teams went onto the stadium. As always, roars and cheers filled the giant oval-like stadium. Zack was the last to be on his team, since he joined a few weeks ago. "Lets wish them a good luck." "You worried?" Zack looked at his teammate, Gorn who has asked him. "Not really, just going to try to do my best." Gorn nodded. 

            Gorn was one of those hotshots. He fought cool and tried to sound cool but he didn't look no where cool. His face was practically destroyed from a certain match and now he has metallic implants on both of his eyes and some other parts of his face. Laser dots beamed from the implants as his eyes, making it scary to look at. He said something about his senses failing and that these implants helped him with his sight and a few other senses like smelling and hearing.

            Zack, of all the years in the army, never heard of such a method. And he didn't want to know how they did it to him. "Malcom is one of the toppest players, you know?" Gorn whispered. "Yeah I know." Zack pulled his gloves on tighter and was ready to fight. He heard Ivana slam on the button and they slowly appeared in Normandy Beach.

            "You have 10 minutes to assault the base and destroy the assault cannon by destroying the controls in the control room. You will encounter many passages that run underground and heavy resistance from machine guns and two cannons and one main cannon. Use extreme caution. Remember you must defend this base for as long as it will take you taking it. Good Luck!" The female computer voice has said and Zack appeared in the vessel with all of them. "Alright, everyone. Assault the base. Teamwork is extreme important. Move out." "Yes sir." They acknowledged and went out onto the Normandy Shoreline, picking up the sniper rifle and minigun. 

            Zack peaked his head out as he was ordered to go first and found himself headless. "Die." He heard a woman's voice ring into his earphone. Strangely, Zack didn't feel pain this time. He reappeared in the vessel and the whole team stared at him. "Okay, looks like they have good snipers. Zack you snipe them as we will proceed." Zack nodded and picked up his sniper rifle and took deep breath as his team left. 

            Zack picked his targets off one by one and then when it was clear he ran for it, dodging the cannons, making sure he still had his two feet with him. Zack finally entered the tunnel and picked up some ammo on the way. He heard his teammates get slaughtered as he saw flak and bullets crossfire from both sides. Zack's jaw dropped to the floor. There are five people there and not one person could run through them. This was just a joke.

            Zack gripped his rifle and carefully crouched as he spotted Riker. He aimed and shot but Riker ducked the minute he heard the blast from his rifle. Zack cursed himself quietly and crawled closer. Just then Malcom jumped down and started to fire his flak cannon at him. Zack changed his weapon to a minigun and backpedaled as he returned fire but Zack was diminished. 

            Zack appeared in the vessel again and he was really shocked. They expect them to get past the snipers, past the automatic machine guns, and then the cannons. Then all they give you is some ammo and expect you to cross the oblivion the team has created in the boiler room. This is beyond crazy.

            Zack took the sniper and minigun again as he went for another try. Zack sniped Azure who was sniping with…a rocket launcher and past the defenses. Before he reached the boiler room, it seemed his team went past that crossfire. Which was a good thing, he didn't want to get his head blown off in that place.

            Zack caught up to his team where Nikita and Ivana is and followed through the hallway and onto a ramp with yellow lights beaming down. He went out into an open area and stopped dead when he heard his teammate, Gorn get fragged. Zack quickly identified the sniper and backpedaled to where he came from and hid behind the wall. He took his sniper out and careful slid into view as he aimed for Aryss' head. It took one shot to kill this one and he was relieved. 

            He didn't say anything in return. He thought it was too cruel, these people didn't deserve this he knew it. As sniping skills came back to him from the wars he fought, he carefully crawled and scanned all the bridges up top. He found Riker's face and quickly pulled the trigger, forcing his face to get swallowed by the skull. "Oh, yeah." He said, happy that this time he died in one shot.

            He carefully pressed forward. He found lots of enemies as he sniped them one by one but then he has realized that they will be coming forever. He quickly ran forward when they were busy fighting with his team and Malcom shot him hard in the chest. Zack rolled away and picked up some health in the middle of the bridges. "Malcom is on killing spree." The announcer has said. Zack snorted. _Of course. Standing on the highest point and shooting anything that moves._ Zack tightened his grip and slowly started to go up the bridge.

            Zack hid behind the boxes as Riker discovered him and got his sniper ready. His heart was racing and he felt heavy sweat come down his whole body. It was very hot in this place and a lot of fire is being exchanged. Wonder if he will win this match because it hardly seems like it.

            Zack peeked out and lots of people fired at him. He quickly found one head and blew into bloody chunks of brains. Seems like Othello (Thunder Crash member not Shakespeare's character. Okay? Okay. ). Zack knew he was wasting his time with this and that it was worthless because he needs to go up there quickly, before the time runs out. 

            Zack changed his position and went directly below the control room so some people didn't see him. "5 minutes remaining." _Shit, shit, shit!_ Zack thought as he took another breath. He quickly decimated Aryss who was running up the ramp and he started to run. He quickly ran up the ramp and changed his weapon to a minigun and followed the rounded bridge. 

            Riker met his face with a rocket launcher and fired at him. Zack flew into a wall in one piece and he was still alive. Zack swore that he saw Riker smile as he aimed at him. "Die, bitch." He called out to him as he fired of another shot. Zack didn't hesitate as he rolled to his side and then forward and straight into Riker. The impact of the missile missed them completely as they rolled of the bridge. Zack got a hold of the edge as Riker held onto his foot.

            If they are going to fall, Zack knew he would die. He feels that he is weak, too weak to fall that distance. Zack started to pull up but Riker pushed him down. Zack held his grip. He felt someone step above him and it was Azure as she pointed Flak Cannon in his face. "You're not so great now." She said with a smile which was disreputably spoiled by Ivana's minigun. The blood spilled on Zack's face and he couldn't see well with the red in his eyes. "I'm sorry did I blow your head apart?" She taunted and came up to Zack and fired at Riker, making holes in his face and skull that burst open with the brain splattering across Zack's boots. He pulled himself up and brushed the blood off his eyes.

            "You have to be careful, you know?" He thanked her and they both ran up to where was Malcom. He was a smart fellow. He was completely hidden behind the wall except for his hands and head. He spotted them and shot at Ivana and they both ducked. "All right, listen. We can't wait forever soon his teammates are going to come. I will cover you. You go and deal with him, understood?" Zack nodded and quickly passed a small distance and was on the same side as Malcom.

            Malcom couldn't see him because of the short angle they were at. Zack clutched his shoulder as a bullet was buried beyond his armor. He looked at Ivana and she had problems defending on her own because they just kept coming. But where are his teammates? Are they that easy to kill? 

            Zack shook it off and quietly went along the wall Malcom was hiding behind. Zack didn't have much energy left in him and he knew he had to do it fast and fiercely. He picked up a Flak Cannon from a corpse which seemed like Othello (Thunder Crash member. Okay? Okay.) and took a deep breath. He saw Nikita climbing the bridges. Zack nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Malcom fired at Nikita. He got her in her back and she fell. 

            Zack acted quickly when he saw the barrel of the sniper was in view. Before he got off another shot Zack grabbed the rifle and pushed it up, causing Malcom to fire at the ceiling. Malcom hit him with his foot and Zack fell on the bridge, his head peaking out the edge. Malcom put a foot on him as he aimed the sniper straight at his face. Zack pushed the sniper up again and pushed him off with his legs. 

            Malcom backed off and aimed at Zack's head as Zack kicked his sniper aside quickly. Zack rolled forward and tackled Malcom, pushing the sniper from his hands. They rolled into the control room and Zack stood up to break the controls with his foot when Malcom tripped him and crawled onto him and punched him hard in the face as he then reached out for the sniper, turning his back on Zack. "One minute remaining." The announcer boomed inside Zack's ear. Zack got on his knees and threw his hands around the front of Malcom's neck and forced him to the floor as he began choking him. 

            Malcom elbowed him in the face twice and Zack let go of him. Malcom stood up with his sniper aimed straight at him. "Good-bye." He said and cocked his sniper. As right on time Zack kicked it from his hands and it landed on the controls. Malcom was angered as he lunged himself at Zack. They both rolled and Zack got on top of Malcom and punched him hard. Malcom put his two feet on Zack's chest and pushed him back into the wall and then tripped him. Zack fell and his heart raced. "Thirty seconds remaining." Zack quickly stood up and Malcom hit him again hard in the ribs. Zack cried out in pain as he really felt his ribs give in. 

            Malcom picked up the sniper rifle and aimed it at him again. A smile was growing on his face. Zack breathed heavily as he has given up. He didn't have energy within him anymore. He was tired. Malcom cocked the gun slowly with pleasure. "10 seconds remaining." "Well this it." Malcom said and pressed the trigger and the sniper clicked empty. "5…4…" Zack quickly acted as he kicked the sniper out of the way again and hit Malcom's face with the other and it landed on the controls, breaking them. "1." The main cannon made a disrupted sound as it slowly collapse from its holding position. "Congratulations. You are the winner." He heard his whole team cheer. Zack wiped blood from his temple and slid down the wall. He was dead tired. But no matter he now must defend the base for full 10 minutes. Well at least he has sniper handy…              

(a/n): So what did you think of this chapter? Enjoyed it? I hope so. In the next chapter, Dessloch will talk to Trinity and you will find out if everything works out. A match is also coming up. Please review. ^_^


	19. Passionate Concerns

(a/n): Hello again. Okay, like I have promised. This chapter will contain a talk between Dess and Trish as well as a match. This is going to be the LAST Assault Match. The teams that will be competing are Blood Reavers and the Thunder Crash team again. After this is all over, ranks will be listed before the competitions in the Final Championship Matches. But before we get on with this story why not say thanks to my wonderful reviewers?

**shrtys-sk8er:** I see we have a new reviewer! Thank you for your compliments and I am really glad you like the battles; I do my best on them. You have noticed that it does sound slow, eh? Well that makes the two of us. Too bad I can't make it sound like the real battles but then I kind of starting to like that it sounds this way, what do you think?

**Fun:** Yeah. I think you are right, Fun. I should do it how I think is best. That's what I do all the time but I'm like you, Fun. I LOVE Trish and Dess too! I have been planning it all along! Well since you can't wait 'till Trish and Dess talk to each other this is a chapter for you! Oh and by the way, I think Zack is cool too. I was so happy when I wrote that chapter. You don't know how I started to hate Malcom in UT2003. He kept fragging and fragging, and fragging me on that last match!!! And he always wins by one FRAG!!! ARRRRR!!!!!!!!!! That's not fair. First, well you know, he fights normal. He frags me and I frag him. But once I have to frag him one more time, he goes berserk and unstoppable. I think I shouldn't have been cocky and I should just have stuck to Average. But NOOOO… I had to see how I could do it on Skilled. UT2003 is harder…but way cooler. Not to worry Malcom. I'm practicing hard. I'm going to come back and kick your ass, Malcom, on any level, hahaha! ….Okay, maybe not on every level. ^_^ Tee-Hee 

**Slash The Ironman: **I am so glad you liked the last chapter. That chapter was dedicating to me, somehow I guess. You see, I hate Malcom. He keeps winning. I can only win on Average or lower. I hate him so much. I'm glad to hear you have kicked his ass severely. He definitely deserved it. Too bad I missed all the fun. Lol. Anyone once again, thanks for the compliments and keep reading!! ^_^

**Cough: **Yeah, Dessloch's heart is broken. What have I done to him???? He really didn't deserve it, did he? *sigh* I'm sorry Dessloch just whatever you do, don't fire a rocket launcher at me that will send me flying into the lava pit in the Eternal Caves, okay? Okay. Anyway, I think Zack is cool too. What will I do without him?? Anyway, here is a chappy for you, where there is more blood, gore and violence! Hope you like it! 

Okay everyone. Yo'll know what I'm going to say because I say this mostly in all my chapters. 

ENJOY!!! ^_^ 

Chapter 19: Passionate Concerns

            Dessloch walked into his new Dorm Hallway, given by the Necris. He needed to talk to Trish. There was so much to talk about and he had to tell her, tell her how he feels. He needs to apologize about what he did to Zack, as well. As much as he would hate it, he'd have too. Zack seems to be Trish's close friend, a very close friend.

            Dessloch walked into the living room and slumbered over the couch. What should he tell her? What words should he choose without hurting her feelings? He needed to think about it because he didn't want to end up, looking like an idiot. Dessloch leaned forward and knitted his fingers together. _What should I say?_ He doesn't know, he doesn't even know if he is right.

            He should talk to her about this whole thing and how she plans on finishing the tournament without revealing her identity. Maybe he should mention about the Liandri troops looking for her and that it's dangerous. Talk about what she plans to do and how can he help. Yeah, he should do just that. _But what about Zack, what do I say about that?_ His evil voice whispered in his head. He shouldn't say anything about Zack, yeah. He should just ignore it. Her life is far more important than Zack. He should ask her about those things first. He cares for her and he will protect her.

            Dessloch nodded and got up. Just then, the door was opened and Trinity came in. "Oh. Hey Dess. Didn't know you were here." She said softly as she came over and sat on the couch. "Whew, I'm bushed, just participated in the Last Man Standing Match. It's hard. I should challenge you one day." Dess smiled and sat down next to her. Maybe he won't have a problem picking the right words after all. He has a feeling that she would do most of the talking.

            "Say, you good in Last Man Standing." Trinity asked him as he pretended to think a little. He just replied with his sarcasm. "Good? Nah girl, I'm perfect. You fight against me and BAM, you're dead." Trinity laughed and slapped him lightly on his shoulder. "Yeah, I should definitely challenge you. Maybe you'll change your mind." "Or maybe not." Dessloch smiled and he didn't even need to guess that she is smiling as well. 

            "Speaking of the tournament, how are you going to win without revealing your identity?" Dessloch asked her as he looked into her eyes, covered by glasses. "I won't take off my mask and once I will win the tournament, I will kill Xan." She sounded pretty determined and Dessloch didn't blame her. He wanted that bastard dead as well. "I mean, wouldn't it be a crime to kill him." Trinity shook her head.

            "I have read the book of laws in this tournament, and its something you wouldn't know either." She said as she took of her glasses and turned to look at him. "Xan has signed an agreement that the final match between the winner and the champion will be a match to the death." 

            "You see, in the matches that we participate, we are like in a computer program, right? Where we can't die. You do not die because of the codes that are programmed in your suit through the computer program. The suit acts like a shield and when you completely lose your energy, you are transported to a bot area where you have to start over." Dessloch looked surprised. He did know something about being in a computer program but nothing about the suits.

            "So the computer programs how many times you can be rejuvenated, mostly the maximum needed for a certain match. Take the Last Man Standing Match for example. The match requires four people with 10 lives. The computer programs your suit for the shields to come up for 11 deaths, therefore protecting you completely. But, as we all know, the weapons in the tournament can hurt people in the real world because no one is in the computer program." Dessloch knew where she was getting at. She wants to say that all they need to do is change the amount of respawns your suit can have. 

            "So when the last match takes place, you need 10 frags to win the match. The computer programs each suit for it to respawn only 9 times, the last frag will kill the player as it would in real time." Bingo, Dessloch was right. 

            "And you are not afraid that he will win?" He asked her. Trinity lowered her head as her voice changed dramatically. "Dess, I trained all my life for this day to come. I—I want to end the suffering. He has killed my father and I must avenge him. I—I think that's right, at least that's what my father wants."

            "You think your father wants you to put your own life in danger. I think he wants you to go on and relive a better life." Dess put his hands on both sides of her face, as he looked deep into her crystal-blue eyes. "You think he wants you to go through the same pain and suffering that he has gone through?" Trinity didn't make eye contact. Either she was too ashamed or Dess figured she had nothing to say.

            "But Dess." She looked at him this time. "If I won't do it, someone else must. It's either me or that other person." Dess looked at her, this time feeling like his heart weighs a ton. "Trinity, I—I don't want you to get hurt, I—" "I won't get hurt, Dess." Trinity quickly interrupted him, as she put her hand on his face this time. "Everything will be alright." "But how can you tell. Xan he has fought many battles and survived all of them. He knows so much combat. Today is your last match and you go into the final championship. Didn't that come into your head? What if he will win? What if he will—" 

            Trinity quickly silenced him before he finished off his sentence, with a finger on his soft, thin lips. "You are not an oracle, Dess." She quickly said as her thumb traced his upper lip. "I don't want to live in the future." She quietly said as she leaned down on him. "I want to live in the present. I want to live today, right now and enjoy my life today. Let's worry about tomorrow later." Later, Dess figured it's her favorite word. She knew she was in danger; this is why she tries her best to live her life to the fullest. Maybe he should help her live each day like this. And when that day will come, he will save her, he swears it. 

            "When that day will come." She said as she leaned down closer. "I WILL defeat Xan, I swear it." Dess couldn't say anything more as he hugged her, tightly, afraid of letting her go, afraid of losing her.

            They both jumped from the couch, to their feet as Boris came in. "Oh, there you are. The match starts soon. We better head out." Trinity nodded as she looked at Dess. "Well what you say, Dess? Let's give them a match they never saw before." Dessloch smiled and nodded. "I guess you two are ready." Boris said. "Well, meet in the Lift Hallway then." They both nodded and Dessloch grabbed Trinity by her arm before she could follow Boris outside. "I will not lose you, Trish." He said firmly to her as a statement. Trinity laced her fingers through his. "No, you won't."

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            The whole Blood Reavers team was in the Blue Lift Hallway, awaited to be called on as Trinity and Dessloch came there together. Kyla wasn't here; she gave Dess a spot to participate. Everyone was ready and Trinity promised herself that she must win, and she will win this tournament. 

"Welcome everybody to the last Assault Match Tournament. The two teams that will be playing are the legendary Blood Reavers and the most strongest the Thunder CRASH!!!" Even the soundproof walls could not silence the cheering of the crowd as the announcer continued speaking, which they heard through the speakers in the hallway. 

"The two teams will be going into combat in the Oceanfloor Station5. This used to be a magnificent research lab facility used for global deep sea researching for multiple universities. Unfortunately the research lab has lost millions of dollars of research and now is used as a battleground for Assault Matches."

            The two teams came forth and Trinity spotted Malcom in a matter of seconds. The tall fine male with glasses and dark tanned skin has led his team towards the center. He was the one who was in second place in the Statistics and she knew that he was good, real good. 

"Let us wish a very good luck both of the teams. You may now excess the arena." Trinity nodded towards Malcom who punched the button down hard. Trinity appeared with her team in the submarine. 

"The Oceanfloor Station5 has 4 terminals that are the key location that you must destroy. You are to swim down to the ocean floor and find a way of entering the research lab." The female computer voice said. "You are now in spectator mode, feel free to look around and get to know you're surroundings, good luck."  

"Okay, Dessloch cover me. As for everyone else, assault the base." Trish ordered when the recording has finished. Everybody nodded and gave her the go ahead. She signaled her wristcom that she is ready. 

"The match will start in 5…4…3…2…1, begin." They all spawned inside the submarines as Trinity picked up all the ammunition and a breather on both sides of the sub before diving into the diving pool. Trinity swam through the cold water as she felt the presence of Dessloch right behind her. She swam to her left with Dess as Boris and Mariana took the right. 

Trinity waded over one of the sections of the research facility and looked through the roof-glass, seeing a diving pool right below it and a second floor. No one was defending. Dessloch touched her to get her attention and she stared into his face with a scuba gear in his mouth. He seemed to point down and Trish nodded. 

She decided to use that diving pool. She switched her weapon to the Plasma Gun as she went up through the diving pool. Trinity started to swim towards one of the hallways towards which Dessloch pointed.

"Malcom drew first blood!" The announcer has stated the minute her head reached the surface and a flak ball nearly missed her head. It was Azure in the back. Trinity attacked her as she quickly ran away into an adjacent hallway where the plasma cannon protected the entrance. Othello (Remember him?? Yes, yes. He's is not the Shakespeare character, he is a Thunder Crash team. Okay? Okay.) ran out of the hallway she wanted to enter and started to melt her with his Plasma Gun. Trinity took all the hits as she ran past him into the hallway and she saw Terminal 4. 

"Anyone else want some?" Dessloch taunted as Trish heard Othello being ripped to pieces. She quickly shot at the controls with her weapon and sparks of failure start to appear.

"Terminal 4 has been disabled." Trinity smiled to herself but now she needed to heal herself. Dessloch ran up to her and pointed towards the ladder that led to the second floor. She went up and went towards the wall that separated this catwalk from the other that she can't see right now. "And stay down." She heard someone say beneath her and Dess. She ignored that as the announcer has said, "5 minutes remaining." Trinity came to a halt as she stopped at the edge of the catwalk and two large screens met her with a terminal in the bottom. She aimed carefully and let out a shot of plasma and destroyed it. "Terminal 3 has been disabled." 

"There is another one on the other side of this room." Dessloch called out as he ran up to her. She nodded and jumped down to the central area and found herself surrounded by Aryss, who was running away from her and Othello (we got the concept, right? Okay this is the last time I am saying this. Thunder Crash member, okay? Okay.) was already shooting rockets at her that missed her as a hedge that was build in front of each excess door blocked every rocket. She quickly walked around the large column and saw Terminal 2 on the other side. She destroyed it, and hid behind the other hedge in front of another door as a plasma cannon fired a shot.  

"Terminal 2 has been disabled." The computer voice has said as Dessloch screamed, "Yeehaw!" Othello was dead. "Which way now?" Trish asked. "Over there." He pointed towards the room behind them with a yellow excess ramp and Trish nodded. "Okay just watch for plasma cannons, okay?" Dessloch nodded too as they both ran for the last terminal. 

Trinity picked up a Health Pack which boosted up her suit's shield as she ran up the stairs and crouched before coming straight into view. She carefully turned right as the corridor turned and spotted Aryss running, picking ammunition near Terminal 1. Trinity started to fire at her and it seemed she was in a bad condition. The small quick plasma balls left traces in her skin as it penetrated her suit. 

Her skin, melting a way at her arms and in her stomach, was decimating her completely as finally bone marrow was starting to get burned as well. Trinity kept firing and soon Aryss began to scream as holes were now seen in her stomach and legs. Her arms fell off, with her gun as she slumbered into a painful death as Trish's weapon clicked empty. 

Just when Trinity thought it was clear, she was surprised by Azure, who came running out with multiple of rockets heading straight for her. Trinity made a cartwheel and dodged two of them as the third impacted on the wall and reached her. She felt something splatter hard against her as she noticed it was blood. She looked behind her and only a rocket launcher was sitting on the floor. Trinity was actually covered in Dessloch's blood.

She pushed her bloody hair away with a bloody hand as she dropped her Pulse Gun to the floor and rolled for Dess' rocket launcher. She swept it off the floor and got onto her knee and fired a perfect shot at Azure, standing like a statue. 

Azure was decimated as she was blown into pieces with her limbs flying all over the last Terminal Room as her blood painted the screens. Trinity got up with the heavy launcher and jogged her way towards the room. She slid her last distance on Azure's blood and a well perfectly aimed shot at the terminal, has won them the match.

"The Blue team has successfully taken the base." They all respawned in other positions, this time they were in the research facility. "You are to defend the base for one minute and forty-one seconds. You must defend all the four terminals, good luck." Everybody activated their wristcom and waited for defense.

"The match will go on in 5…4…3…2…1, continue." Trish appeared in a hallway leading out into a walkway and down the ramp. She ran down to get the Pulse Gun and ran outside into the large docking area, she has came through earlier. She walked around the whole middle and placed herself where she can see the Thunder Crash team leaving from the submarine from the roof-window. 

Boris, Mariana and Dess all have said that they were in position and Trish was alone. "In position." Trinity said and awaited people to come. Othello and Malcom, came rather quick as they rushed out of the water. Their suits being in perfect condition prevented the Pulse Gun in melting them to liquid substance. Trinity jumped down but couldn't frag Othello fast enough as he has destroyed Terminal 4. Othello and Malcom where both turned to crisp by the Plasma Cannon as their crisp bones shattered to the floor into debris. 

Trinity turned and spotted Azure running towards the Excess Door as Trinity fired off at her head as it melted away, slowly. She fell to her knees, when not even her neck was left, and then to the floor. Aryss quickly ran past her and into the central area as Boris plugged wholes into her body as she bolted to the hedge in front of the door. Trinity nodded towards Boris and now looked for a way up.

She ran to her left and up the stairs that led to the Terminal 1 room. Dess was standing there, quietly with a shield belt equipped. She saw a Shock Rifle next to him and dropped her almost empty Pulse Gun to take that Rifle. She switched and ran to her right where she saw Mariana was standing above the small diving pool. Trinity ran past and turned right again onto the catwalk in the central area on the second floor and joined Boris.

"30 seconds remaining." _What? Already?_ Trinity can't recall remember the announcer say one minute was remaining. Well better for them. Four people came rushing out of the large docking area, both dividing into two as they ran to attack the terminals. Trinity blew Aryss up in pieces but Azure got to the Terminal 2. "Terminal 2 and 3 has been disabled." Malcom seemed to reach the other terminal as well.

Trinity jumped down and blew up Malcom and Othello in one shot as Azure slipped by and was already in the Terminal 1 Hallway. _Come, Dess. Frag her!_ She quickly followed her and shot out a rocket which missed and hit the wall, the impact got to her but she kept running. _SHIT!_ "9…8…" She saw Dessloch jump into view side ways as he launched a long lethal beam. "6…5…" The beam hit her as she was forced back but she was still alive.

Trinity aimed at her as Dessloch rolled when he reached the floor and let out another beam, which blew her head of her shoulders, and it rolled over to Trish. "Suck on that, loser." Dessloch screamed out. "1…congratulations you are the winner." Trinity dropped her launcher in relief and leaned against the wall. She saw Dess smile as he threw his fists in the air and screamed, "Let's Rock."

(a/n): Whew, tired. Okay, I know in the game you don't fight the Thunder Crash in the OceanFloor but it seemed logical because the Venom team did not win as much victories in my story to get up to the last matches. Anyway please tell me what you think. Did you like it?


	20. No More Secrets

(a/n): Hello everyone. How is everyone doing? I hope you are all okay, unlike me. I'm going through a hard time with my feelings and I feel I was just broken. Right now I'm recovering from what I have done to myself. It's amazing how you can hurt yourself just by thinking something is wrong. Well anyway, this chapter will be dedicated to Fun. Well I think you all will like it because this chapter has to do everything with the story's plot. But before we go on, I would like to thank my wonderful readers.

**Fun:** I am so sorry, Fun. I know you were waiting for them to talk to each other and Boris had to come in and spoil it. I know, I apologize. But I am going to make it up to you. This chapter is where Dess will finally talk to Trish about EVERYTHING and she won't want to. But he would want to know answers today because he doesn't want any secrets between them anymore. ^_~. I'm sure you'll like this chapter Fun. Well, Fun, ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!      =) 

**shrtys-sk8er: **Thanks for your compliments. No, I haven't done the Facing Worlds Match before. So you know what? I'll do it. It's a good suggestion and you're right, it always turns out to be one hell of a match. Hehe. Fragging with a sniper is fun. Really fun. Especially blowing their heads off their shoulders and hearing the announcer say, "Headshot!" hehe. Yes, I will use your suggestion; it's a really good one.

**Slash The Ironman: **Hahaha. You're right. Malcom SHOULD be reintroduced to the minigun. That was a good one. Like you mentioned in your fic. I hope the minigun will never ever run out of ammo. Hehe. Well anyway thank you for your compliments…look at this. And you say you begin to sound like a broken record? Look at me!!!! I was about to say "keep reading" and I say that all the time. Looks like I sound like a broken record as well. *sigh* We are all broken records. Hehe. Anyone, I hope you keep reading. (See what I mean??) 

Well everyone, ENJOY!!!!!!!!! ^_^

Chapter20: No More Secrets

            Dessloch walked through halls of silence as his footsteps echoed through them. Heavy, steady, slow paced footsteps that mark these halls of darkness. It was after midnight. More than half of the people were asleep for the tomorrow's Statistics. Winners will be picked out to fight in the Final Challenge to the death. Contestants will be fighting bio-weapons in different stages of combat and if more than one contestant wins, they will fight each other, to the death. The winner will fight Xan which, also, will be to the death.

            Dessloch was sick and worried about Trish. One false step and she will be at a greater risk of dying. Dessloch couldn't take it any more. Why does she want to risk her life so much? He doesn't want secrets between them anymore, he loves her and he doesn't want her to get hurt. Dessloch stopped to a halt as his last footstep echoed through the halls. He took a deep breath as he looked at the door he's going to enter. He nodded to himself and slowly and softly knocked on Trinity's door. There was no answer and Dessloch waited.

            He heard whispering, light whispering like a song. He listened closer as he heard a voice, her beautiful voice, singing.   
"You are my hero, you are my hope. 

You have brought me from the oblivion into the lightest womb. 

I feel I'm reborn in your strong arms around me.   
I feel I'm someone, somebody new, someone who can love and care, someone who can finally see.

I pushed you away so many times, 

Yet you always stayed, knowing my heart.

You knew what I craved you knew what I loved.

You are my hero, you are my love.

You are everything I need, I need in this world.

But I have a promise, a promise to fulfill,

A promise so sacred I can never tell.

I know I hurt you're heart but I already died,

I have died, that day where my heart was torn apart.

Tore apart by the cruelest hands. I must go on, I must fulfill."

Dessloch didn't hear anymore, that was all he heard from her, and he felt horrible. She had such a beautiful voice, a voice of an angel. Dessloch lowered his head and he started to doubt if this was a good timing. He stood straight and started to walk away until he heard sobbing. Sobbing that tore at his heart that he felt like dying on the floor. Trinity was crying, she knew her future, she knew she might die. This is why she didn't talk about tomorrow; this is why she prevented him to ask questions about the future. She hates it and despises it. He can't blame her, he will never blame her.

If only he can absorb her negative energy and make her feel so much better. Dessloch sighed and slowly opened the door, which happened to be opened and found Trinity crying on her bed, curled up, turned her back to him. "Trinity?" She jumped up and Dess noticed all of the streams running down her beautiful face. "Dess?" She asked and got off her bed. "Sorry, I—I should have locked the door."

Dessloch looked at her crying eyes as she struggled to fight them back. "Trish." He said her name very quietly. "You are hurt." He said to her and she shook her head as if she denied it. "I'm fine." 

"Are you? Are you alright? How long has it been now, Trish? How many days have you been crying at night, unable to sleep because you have nightmares?" She looked at him in a confusing look.

"I didn't have nightmares, I just can't fall asleep." Dessloch came up to her but she put her hands up. "No, Dess don't." Did Dess stop this time?? No, he wanted answers and he won't hold back now. Instead of stopping he took her hands so she looked at him. "Why do you fear the truth? Why do you run from it?" She looked up from her crying eyes and looked at him. "It's better to live in a lie." She said with her voice bruised. Dess took her chin. "You're wrong Trish. You're wrong. Lies are worse than truth because lies hurt more when you find out that they are lies." Trinity closed her eyes. "I never thought I would meet you, Dess. I just wanted to get on with a promise, a promise I made years ago."

"I never thought I would meet you, too, Trish. I thought my life was over and that I won't be able to trust anyone else. I thought I was turned into a monster. I felt like a slave, worthless and a killer. You proven me wrong, Trish. You have showed me that I, that I still have something within me that can love." She looked at him with teary eyes. "Truly?" Dess gave her a serious look. "Truly."

"I'm glad. I'm glad that I could make difference." She whispered all her words in a hushed voice. "I'm so happy, so happy that I have helped." "Oh Trish." He hugged her and she hugged him back.

"Please stay with me until the end." She asked as she cried through her tears. "I don't want to be alone, I never wanted to be alone." "Don't worry, Trish. I will always be with you, 'till the end." She smiled but it faltered. "Thank you." She whispered again and hugged him tightly.

"I promise you this. Your end will be in a nice warm bed with great-grandchildren chanting 'happy birthday grandma.'" She looked at him and she started to chuckle through her tears. "You're such a comedian, Dess." He chuckled. "I know."

He pulled back to look into her crystal-blue eyes. "I promise you, Trish. Everything will be okay." "I hope you're right. I hope it's not just another lie." She said it in a rather dark mood. "Trinity, you have to be strong, you have to let others help you at times. I mean—I mean what about Zack? You don't mind him helping you." Dess hated that guy but he kept his voice sincere. "Zack? Zack is like a father to me, Dess. I know him for such a long time. If I would push him away it would mean as losing someone really close to me."

Dessloch nodded but he didn't show that he was actually hurt by her words. She was pushing his away, right this moment. She doesn't think she is losing someone really close. Just when Dess thought he loved her. In the end, it is all about the tournament. Pointless to think about it and yet sad, sad how people have nothing to live for.

"Trish, all I'm going to tell you is, follow your heart. That's it. Do what you think is right, and those that are close to you will follow you 'till the end of time. Do what you believe, never doubt your actions; there are so many people out there that can hurt you so badly. This is why—this is why I believe that your heart is like a fortress and you are not letting anything in or anything out. You keep everything you have so close to you, because you are afraid of losing it." Dess said to her, as he pulled away and walked back a few steps.

"Where are you going?" She asked in fear. "I—I have to go." Dessloch turned around and started to walk towards the door. "You told me the people that are close to me would follow me 'till the end of time. You told me you're not lying. Well then, why are you walking away?" She screamed her words as tears swallowed them up. "Why are you turning your back on me?" Dessloch stopped in front of the door as the words hit him in the gut. 

"Trish, I—I am nothing but your partner. A partner that helps you to get to the top and then the rest of the path is yours." He heard her shriek at his words and he closed his eyes. "Don't say that! You are lying! There is something bothering you isn't there? Isn't there?" She asked the last words more calmly. "Tell me!" She screamed through her tears. "It's nothing." He said. 

Trinity didn't scream, didn't move, and he didn't hear her sob. "You make a bad liar, you know." She asked him in a whisper. Dess sighed as he felt his heart was ripping apart. "I'm sorry Trish. I am so sorry." He said to her but he didn't look at her. He couldn't bear to see her cry. She looked like she was dying. 

"You never told me what was wrong. You only attended to my business and made me feel like I can take on the whole world." She whispered. "You made it look so easy—so easy to be a happy person and just live with your life." Dess this time turned around as her words shocked him, shocked him the most. "Because." He said. "Because I was already healed and you were still broken."

She broke into tears again. "Why did you distance yourself, Dess? Why did you make me feel so alone? What have I done wrong?" Dess dropped his head. She was right; he did distance himself from her. He thought that Zack was with her and he was in the way. "Why, Dess? Why?" She whispered. He closed his eyes and couldn't answer her but she already knew. He knows that she knew why. She just needs to hear it; he won't hold back secrets anymore. "Because of Zack." He whispered. 

Trinity looked at him, directly into his yellow eyes. "Zack?" She asked and he only nodded. "But I—he is only a friend, Dess. He was always a friend." She came forth and he backed away and he saw fresh tears run down her cheeks again, silently this time. "I—I always wanted to be strong, to be strong enough to take care of myself. I wanted to be so much like my father, like my father before me. He was everything to me, everything I ever needed back then." More tears came down her face as she fought them back.

"I thought that I have died, that day." She whispered to prevent her voice from breaking but it broke anyway. "I saw him—" Her voice trembled and she looked like she was remembering the past and seeing it very clearly. "I saw him die, die in front of my eyes as I screamed for him. I screamed his name." She wiped her tear away. "But I was, I was to young to understand that, he won't come back, he will never come back. Ever since that day, I thought—I thought I was done with, that it was the end. I remember how I didn't except such cruel words as I was taken in by the orphanage. I screamed for him, screamed all my life until I really knew, he isn't coming back. I lost hope as I ran away when I turned 18. I ran away as far as I could, back home. When I arrived, I said, 'Dad, I'm home.' But there was no answer, he really wasn't going to come back, he was really dead. Dead since that day I saw him die." She sat down on her bad as she knitted her hands together.

Dessloch felt pity for her; she has gone through so much. "Ever since that day." She continued. "I promised myself that I would avenge my father. That's when Zack came in. He trained me, trained me to kill—to kill in cold blood and to never let my feelings get in my way ever again. I listened to him, like a true student, I thought I was ready and so I entered—I entered the tournament." 

Dess looked at her with so much sympathy. He never even had a clue. Now he knew everything, everything what has happened to her. "That's when I met you, Dess." She finally said and he looked at her. "I—I swear I felt something familiar in you. The way you make your dreams happen, how you seem not to notice the problems around you. You were so, so normal. It reminded me of how I used be. I thought that I was blessed.

"When I was younger I never thought that I would meet anyone who I will ever love. I thought that my heart has died, died with my father, buried within his grave. You have proven me wrong. You have proven me so wrong, that I finally realized how blind all my life I really was."

Dessloch didn't know what to say. What was there to say? He couldn't comfort her; she is lost in her own past. He can't wheel her out of there but he will try to guide her. "You know, Trish?" He came up to her and took her hands as he kneeled on one knee. "You can't live in the past, forever. We have to learn how to go on. I can't prevent you from living in the past. But I can help you with sticking to the present." He saw her smile. "Dess, you always knew what to say." He nodded and smiled a little.

"Trish, I know you made that promise. But, you are endangering your whole life. I mean, I need you, I need you, Trish." She put her hand on his cheek and smiled. "And you will have me, Dess. You will always have me, forever." Dess grabbed her hand on his face. "Trish, just—don't do it." She seemed rather surprised. "The final challenge?" She asked him. "Yeah, that's right. I mean, you have a whole life in front of you, a life so pure." Trinity seemed to think about it.

"But what am I going to do?" She asked in an uncertain way. "I mean, what then?" Dess didn't know either but then he smirked. "I thought you didn't like to think about the future." A smile was slowly pasting her lips and then she smiled. "Dess, don't tease me that way!" He chuckled as she grinned and hugged him very tightly. "You're right. Let's live today." She said into his ear very softly. "Just promise me one thing, Dess." "What's that?" "Stay with me, stay with me until the end." Dessloch pulled away. "Trish—" "Just promise me." She put a finger to his lips. He nodded. "Alright then, I promise you, Trish." She smiled. "Now don't go breaking your promise, because I won't be breaking mine." He looked quite surprised. "You're still going to do it?"

She didn't answer him for sometime but then she pulled away and he searched her eyes. "Yes, I have to do it. But I promise you, everything will be okay." He nodded in a sad way. She only smiled. "Do you love me?" He looked up at her question, surprised she asked. "Of course." He said. "Then trust me." She said and smiled again. Dess nodded. "Do you love me?" He asked her and her smile turned into a kid's big evil grin. She didn't answer him at first as she played around with his shirt and then looked up with her playful eyes to search his. "Yes, I do." Dess cupped her face. "Then show me." He said his last words and he kissed her like never before. It was a hungry and a passionate kiss.

(a/n): Whew! Another chapter done with. So, was this what you all been waiting for? I hope so. I had fun writing this chapter, it made me tear at a few certain parts. I hope you liked it. Well tell me what you think. 

The song Trish was singing is copyright. It is part of a song I have long written. 


	21. The Outcome

(a/n): Hello, everyone. Sorry about not updating in a long time, but I haven't been online since the last time I have updated. So first I want to thank my lovely readers before we go on. 

**_Fun: _**Hey, Fun. I am so glad you loved that chapter. I wrote that chapter from heart, seriously. I am glad you like the song; it actually had something to do with my feelings. I am literally in love with this story, you know? *sigh* If only I was Trish for one day I would get a chance to meet Dess. (Daydreams…) Anyway, back to reality. Keep reading Fun, I have something special and beautiful coming up for you. I'm sure you'll love it. ^_~.

**_COUGH: _**I will not argue with you that the chapters were short. Hehe. Anyway, thanks for your compliments about the song. Don't worry COUGH, I have something special coming up for you too. You are going to love these surprises a lot. Just wait and see my dear friend. ^_~

**_Slash The Ironman: _**Thanks a lot, Slash. I really loved your review. Thanks for supporting me. Thank you so much. You are right; it's not good to be feeling bad. I bet when everything is going to get better I'm going to be laughing at this, wouldn't you agree. Anyway keep reading. ^_^

**_Redneckman:_** Yeah, I'll update soon enough…I hope. Thanks for reviewing. Oh and about Malcolm, that's cool if you play with him, but him and me go way back. We are both nemesis. Every since the first Unreal Tournament…it doesn't feel good when you are on GodLike and boom, you are dead with one shot. Anyway hope you keep reading.

Chapter21: The Outcome

            Everybody was nervous today. Today all the scores are counted and the winner will be announced. Trinity was pacing back and forth in the round room, filled with people. She has to be one of the top winners in order to make her dream come true. She must be one of the top. She was with Dess, who was awfully quiet. He was looking around in each direction as if he was waiting for something. Trinity took a deep breath in and leaned against the back wall between the two flags hanging down on both sides. One was blue the other was red. 

            Xan was supposed to show up, and pronounce the winners. She doesn't expect him to make a speech because this tournament needs no words. This was a blood sport where everyone concentrates to win. There are suppose to be two or three winners, she wasn't sure. Then the final challenge participant will fight Xan. If s/he fails the next runner-up will fight as well. 

            The round room was filled with bunch of contestants and also a swarm of viewers in the upper seats. Cameramen were right in front of the podium to get the best pictures, too. Trish sighed again as she can't believe that people really think of this tournament as just a game or a sport. Trish believes this is murder and torture and she knows there is no way out but to fight.

            Strange how she never questioned it. She just fought and went to shoot the first person, because she new in order to win you had to have the most brutal tactics, no fear, fierceness, and courage. She had all of them and she has long forgotten when she had pity. It's sad, really, how she turned into a monster. Will she be able to recover from this? If she defeats Xan and shuts down the tournament, what then? How will she live on, knowing she has done this and ripped people apart.

            She knew they wanted to make this look like a game, so no one would be afraid of fighting Xan. So all they thought about was that this was not real. But she knew it is real. In one-way or another, it is very real. 

            "Well he is taking his precious time." She heard Dess murmur under his breath as he leaned against the wall next to her. "What do you care, Dess?" She asked him as she looked at the podium again with no one behind it. "I don't like this place, too many people and too noisy." She smiled at his response and nodded. "I agree but this is where you grew up, right?" She saw him shook his head. "Wrong. I grew up in the Lunar Colonies." He said it calm and quietly. "In the Lunar Colonies, everybody minded their own business but when it came for helping out, the people worked together."

            Trinity nodded. "You know your past well." She said as she looked down at her shoes. "Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to live like that." Dess looked at her and nudged her shoulder. "When you will win the tournament you will live like a normal person, right?" She looked at him and just thought over at what he said. "I guess—I guess you're right." She lied and looked at the podium again as the lights dimmed and Xan was standing in front of them.

            "Ladies and Gentlemen." He began. "All the Scores and Winners have been progressed and I have to say this was the most exciting year of all of the years this Tournament was set up. Welcome to the Statistics of the tournament where the winners will be announced with their incredible scores that will make records of this century." The crowed clapped lightly but Xan didn't wait, he just continued.

            "First we will announce the winners. In third place, a new recruit with body and mind of steel. An ex-mercenary and a veteran of the Skraaj and Nali war, please welcome Zack Vicklair." Zack, her old friend stepped up to the podium and received a medal that hung over his neck. He was in his Red Dark Phalanx suit and he looked directly into her eyes and seemed to nod. 

            "In second place, and this was a very hard decision. This person is in tied with the first place winner and of course is a leader. But due to less wins we have decided this winner for second place. Please welcome, the legendary mercenary whose name everyone has heard of more than once, Malcolm." Trish heard a lot of clapping and girls fainting over his good looks. Trish admits it. Malcolm is hot but nowhere near her best friend. She didn't like his cockiness and attitude. She would've clapped along if she didn't participate in any matches with him.

            "Now the Dominated Number One place, is a person that has came into this tournament for the first time, a person who is strong-willed. Not even the hardest sword, the strongest weapon, will break through this competitor. Please, let us all welcome a woman who rose in the ladder with strength of the strongest human and determination, a woman who will have her name written in all text history, a woman who has it all to win the tournament, Trinity!" Cries and cheers surrounded the room as well as whistles. She couldn't believe it. She was loved. Trinity looked at Dessloch and saw him smiling. She smiled back and nodded.

            She walked up to the podium and was given a grand prize, which was the medallion with Blood Reavers engraved on it and her name on the bottom. She loved how it looked and she will keep this forever. This means a lot to her since the team is really like her family. She smiled at the crowd and flashes took off from the cameramen. "Now, why don't we give them a round of applause?" The room got loud again as the three winners got off the stage.

            "The Final Challenge will start next week. The first winner will go through several matches between biological weapons and if survives will challenge me. If the winner fails the next runner up will take his/her place. If all fail I will stay the winner. Now remember, the Final Challenge is a Death Match to the Death. If the winners will fail, the tournament will begin next year but practice sessions will be always opened to keep our competitors in shape. Thank you." Xan fled the seen with two people as the whole room started to get louder than loud, people with confused and excited faces. How did she feel? She felt like she will win.

(a/n): I know this chapter is a bit short. Okay…fine. I say its TOO short but I promise I will make it up to all of you. I just needed to put the outcomes. Anyway, prepared to be blown away in the next chapters…hehehe.


	22. Limitless Endurance

(a/n): Yes! I feel so much better now. I feel like this energy is flowing into me and I'm ready to take on the world! I hope you feel the same. Okay, last time I left you all with such a short chapter. I'm sawwy. But I will make it up to you, of course. Okay this chap should be cool to read, but I don't know how easy is it going to be to write. I will try my best. This chapter should be a blast because it is taking place in one of the BEST maps (in my opinion) in UT. It's the "Facing Worlds 'Special Edition'". I love this map because I can cap A LOT of people with a sniper from a very safe distance. Don't worry I won't make it THAT boring. I will make the character go into combat instead of hiding out in the tower and shooting some head of its shoulders. Okay people. First, thanks to my lovely reviewers.

**_Slash The Ironman_**: Yeah, it was short but I'm glad you liked it anyway. Yeah, Trish is really good. She is kicking ass, hard. Xan will get it good. I promise. I hate that guy for just being the tournament's grand champion and for giving me a hard a time when I first bought the game. Hehe. Now I'm the one who is frying him. About time. Practice makes perfect, do you not agree. Anyway, hope you'll like this chapter!! 

**_Fun:_** Hey Fun. Why are you apologizing for reviewing late?? You didn't review late at all. There was no schedule. LOL. Did you know I didn't update this fic almost for a MONTH??? If someone should apologize, it should be me. I'm glad ya like it and I hope you'll like this chapter. Oh and by the way this map is a bit different from the UT2003 'Facing Worlds' map. The bases are much smaller, okay? And there are no jumping pads to take you to the center because the center is nothing but a tiny crossing that one false step and you fall…but the basic asteroid and two bases are the same. You can still shoot with a sniper. But the view is much clearer, so you can shoot all the way to the other side. Anyway just thought I would let you know. Okay? Okay.  

Well everyone, one last important thing I think I have to mention.

…

…

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^

Chapter22: Limitless Endurance

            Trish was in her room, looking at her medallion with a Blood Reavers sign that was grasped within her fingers. She traced the double-sided ax's long handle with her finger and then went over her name that said 'TRINITY'. She loved it. Even though the Blood Reavers' symbol is kind of bloody, she still loved it because it was her team, her family. 

            Trinity smiled and put the medallion in the drawer of her dresser and she looked at herself in the mirror. She saw a woman without a soul. She doesn't know why, but everything she does, she regrets. If only she will stop seeing this woman in the mirror that looks so helpless and sad. Because Trinity knew, somewhere deep down inside is a whole different woman, with a soul of an angel and a heart of a true love. She knew she had something, she just doesn't know how to express it. She should give it time and in the meanwhile, she should finish this quickly so she could go home.

            Home, a place she never had. Maybe she was homesick…nah. She has to have a home for that. She was just, just lonely and tired. It was time for her to start a new life. Trinity nodded and smiled. _Soon._ She thought. _Very soon._ Time will tell, but for now she must stand her ground and be strong because Trinity is not just Trinity. She is Tanya Menace. A woman whose dreams have been destroyed as new appeared. She was a woman of a faith that was stronger than steel. She IS Tanya Menace. A daughter of a proud and noble soldier, a soldier who was strong like her, and like him; she will be the same. She is the daughter of Jack Menace.

            "I must defeat Xan, I will defeat him." She whispered to herself and nodded. It was about time where she must forget all her fears. She must not let her sorrow get in her way. She must not show feelings or emotion for it is only a weakness. Right now, she must be Trinity. She will do anything to destroy the monster that has killed her father. She will have her vengeance. She will give him the most ultimate punishment he can have, death; a death under a civilian, a death where no pride will take place. A death of a coward and a murderer, she will give him what he deserves; a death under her hands.

            "Trish?" She heard Dessloch knock on the door and she quickly put a red robe before she opened the door. "Dess? What's wrong?" "Can I come in?" He asked her calmly and she nodded. She opened the door wider to let him in and closed it after he went in. "Malcolm's is challenging us." Dess said as he turned around seeming hyper with his eyes wide and sparkling. 

            "But why?" Trinity asked as she knitted her eyebrows together and curled her fingers around her chin as she appeared in deep thought. "He just wants to get to know how good we are, I guess." Dessloch seemed to guess but it didn't make her feel better. "I do not accept a match where you just bully people to see who is better." Trinity said as she came up to the sofa. She sat down and crossed her legs as she looked up at Dessloch.

            Dessloch sat next to her. "He is challenging you, Trish. Everyone is talking about it. Everyone knows about this match." Now he sounded worried. "What in the world is he doing?" Trinity asked again as she looked at her folded hands sitting on top of her knees. "Is he trying to prove something?" She sounded really concerned. 

            Dessloch shrugged as he took covered her knitted hands with his left and looked into her eyes. "Hey, why don't we just think of it as a good challenge. You know. As though, we are honored. Plus, it's not good to bring down such an offer." Trish looked at him and smiled. "I guess, I guess you are right." 

            He nodded but his mood changed completely. "But we'll have to watch out for some tricks, okay. Don't worry I'll be watching your back." He said it with such certainty that Trinity couldn't even deny it. "Okay then, Dess. Let's show him what we've got!!!!" Dess smiled and kissed her lightly. "Come on, let's pick our team." He said as he neared the door. "I'll meet you at the lobby." He looked back at her as he had his fingers curled around the knob of the door. "So we could pick the members." He finished his sentence. Trinity nodded in agreement. "Alright, then Dess. Just let me get prepared and I'll see you there." "Great." Dess opened the door and went out, closing the door behind him. 

            Trinity took a deep breath as she thought about this situation. Well, it's not as if she was willing to refuse such a request. She WAS actually honored by such a request. Malcolm is very popular participant so she guesses she cannot turn down such an offer. She will fight; she will fight with her best ability. Trish smiled as she took a hold of her gloves from her suit. "Let's rock, then." She said it with an evil smirk on her face. She took a last sip from her glass of water that was resting on a coffee table and nodded. "Let's rock." She whispered again.

            "Welcome to the Practice Session of Unreal Tournament. Today we will see a match between 10 participants divided into teams." The announcer said in the arena through the speakers as Trinity was waiting with her team. To be quite honest, she only knew two people on her team. The other two were picked randomly under Xan's orders. The same applied for the Red Team. Malcolm was only allowed to pick two members as the other two were randomly picked.

            "Our participants will be sparring in the new Facing Worlds. It's an asteroid with two towers. Prepare for a real bloody match where heads will be flying everywhere." The crowd cheered and Trish frowned. "The team who scores 3 points wins!"

She looked at Boris who was standing to her right; checking his armor but stopped the minute he noticed her looking. "You alright?" He asked her. She nodded in response as Boris smiled. "What's the matter, you don't trust these people?" She looked at the two members standing together near the lift as he asked her. "I never met them, that's all." Boris chuckled. "Don't worry, they won't get in our way but that doesn't mean they'll do anything." Trinity chuckled at his humor and looked back at the two. "Well I guess at least they won't get in our way, right?" Trish looked back at him and found him nodding. "Right." He smiled. 

"Everybody—" The announcer continued. "—please welcome the Red Team." Trinity heard cheering and chanting as the Red Team went up. The chanting soon formed into a rhythm of the name Malcolm as people clapped and a hard style, hard-core rock music started to play. 

"Just look at Malcolm! He is ready to rock-an-roll and win today's match." The crowd got louder at that statement and Trinity scoffed. Today will be the day where she will leave him in the dust. She must not let people question her place in Statistics; she must win to prove her spot.

"And now, let's welcome the Blue Team." Trinity and her team got in a circle as they were called upon. "Alright, let's go out there and kick some butt!!! Boris you will defend at the tower up top, Dessloch you will cover me, as for you two—" She looked up at the two new members. "—You will take the enemies flag." 

"That's right, the very team the Blood Reavers are on." The announcer was heard. "And speaking of Reavers, there are three present members today from that team that is fighting today's match and guess who is the leader? That's right, the one and only TRINITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The crowd cheered at the mention of her name. "Alright people!" She got her attention back to her team. "LET'S ROCK!" She, Boris, and Dess screamed as the other two screamed along with them. 

Her team got out into the open and she saw posters swinging and people chanting her name. Trish smiled as she scanned the room. She looked at her team and nodded at them as they all started to come down the isle as one. She was a proud leader of a proud group. All she needed to know was that she would win. 

Trinity ignored the posters and didn't care what they said; all she cared about is her opponent as she stared dead into Malcolm's eyes. She got up to the center with her team at the back. "Please." Said Malcolm. "Whenever you are ready." Trinity nodded and slammed down the button and they were transported to the arena…

Trinity appeared behind the blue base next to the minigun. "The match will begin in 5…4…3…2…1 begin." Trinity quickly picked up the minigun and ran past Drimucus (one of the members fighting on her team). She turned right and went into the base and around the column in the middle and into a portal. 

She appeared at the top of the base and quickly picked up the sniper rifle with some ammo and armor. "Trish, I've got your back." She turned around and nodded towards Dess. "Brock drew first blood!!" The announcer has said as she then heard Rhea (The other member) scream for backup. Trinity equipped her rifle and was willing to blow his head to smashed potatoes. Trinity looked through her scope as she saw two people coming into her base. Trish cursed and equipped her minigun and exited through the portal to defend her flag.

"Malcolm has taken the blue flag." The cool female computer voice said as sirens took off. Trinity's heart raced as she cursed herself silently and rounded the middle column by taking her left and bumped into Aryss. As startled, as it may seem Trinity didn't hesitate at aiming her minigun at her and splitting her apart as blood gushed out and painted the walls of her blue base. 

Trinity didn't watch Aryss stagger to her knees and then to floor, instead she ran after Malcolm who was now climbing the asteroid swallowed by the night. Trinity opened fire and the dust from the ground rose as the bullets started to rise. Just when she was about to get him, Malcolm stopped in his tracks and dropped the flag.

When Trinity was in range to see what was happening, she saw a hole in his skull and dark, thick, red liquid escaped slowly as Malcolm dropped into death. She saw Drimucus running up to the flag and within a touch the flag was gone. "The blue flag has been returned." Trinity patted Drimucus on the back as she continued to gain on her enemy.

            Trinity scanned the tower at the very top and saw no one standing as she begun to run faster. She was surprised that they had no defense. But what did she care?? She better take advantage of this. She ran with her heavy gun but dropped to her knees the minute she saw Drimucus' head blown into skull particles. She started to doubt about them having no defense. 

            She took out her sniper and scanned the tower again but swore when she saw no one. Where could the sniper be?? But then she remembered. She slowly started to scan down and saw a terrace inside the walls of the tower and Lauren was standing right in the middle. Trinity smiled as she aimed at her head. Just when she was about to push her trigger, Lauren raised her sniper at her and she didn't hesitate. She pressed the trigger and the bullet rammed into Lauren's scope ravaging her left eye as blood spurted out in the back wall from the back of her head. Lauren's corpse dropped to her knees and fell off the balcony and onto the asteroid.

            She nodded towards Dess and switched to her minigun again. Dess ran in front of her and started to snipe everyone. Trinity got past the middle and started to go down now, towards the base. She sagged Aryss with bullets as Dess took care of the rest. 

            "I've got the flag!" Trinity screamed as she took the flag and ran out of the base. Forces of the Red Team met her and Trinity dived through the crowd. She started to run up the asteroid as bullets hit her in the back and legs. She felt like each bullet was rammed into her and she felt unsteady as she climbed the big rock.

            Trish turned around and started to back peddle and started to shoot at her opponents. She felt weak as three of the best of the team were shooting at her with miniguns, Lauren, Malcolm, and Brock. "I need some backup!!!" She screamed as her voice broke when her knees gave in. Trinity fell on her knees as she continued to shoot at everyone. Just when she was about to aim at their heads, one of the bullets met her head and she fell into a painful slumber. "Try a bigger gun!" Lauren taunted her as Trish respawned.

            She rubbed her head as it began to hurt and she swore under her breath. "You want a bigger gun?? Okay then. Watch out Lauren, because I'm taking a bigger gun!" Trinity picked up the sniper rifle as Rhea appeared behind her. "The red flag has been returned." Trish cursed and ran inside the base taking a left now. She picked up the shock rifle between the two different portals and went into the left one.

            She jumped down and found her self in front of a Redeemer. She evilly smiled and picked up the heavy gun as she dropped to one knee and fired off a manual launcher. She carefully aimed and searched out Lauren who was defending the base who happened to be in the entrance of the red base. Trinity rammed that rocket right into her face as she was blown to bloody smithereens. "Is this big enough???" She taunted and started to laugh.

            "Trinity, there is no time for personal revenge. Malcolm's got our flag again." Dess interrupted Trinity's little victory party. "Right." She said and stopped. She dropped the heavy launcher and took out her sniper and saw Malcolm getting out of her base with the blue flag. Trinity jumped down and restrained from screaming when she landed and put a nice neat bullet hole in the back of his head, which exploded right after it. "Tag, you it!" Trinity said playfully and limped towards the flag. "I've got our flag!" Trinity retrieved the flag and quickly limped away before Malcolm would attack again.

            She'd need to nurse her ankle, that was one big fall she took Dessloch would surely comment on it after the match, but she didn't really care. She ran back as quickly as she could out of her base and saw Malcolm and Azure making their way towards the blue base on the left side of the asteroid. Trinity looked into her scope and fired but missed as Boris already killed Malcolm up top. Trinity changed her target, which happened to be Azure. Trinity shot her in the leg, making her trip. She then aimed at her head and put a bullet hole in it.

            She quickly dropped her empty sniper and proceeded towards the base as she switched to her minigun. Dessloch got in front of her again and sniped everybody on the asteroid field. "The coast is clear, Trish. GO!" Dess said as he crouched near the center and finished off Brock who was running into the base at the entrance. 

            Trinity quickly ran down as she heard fire zip pass her and die down before anyone could blink an eye. Trish admits it. Dess was good at sniping people. Trinity ran into the base and just when she was about to take the flag Raynor came out of nowhere and started to bolt her towards the wall. Trinity quickly switched her firing mode to a fast pace and nailed him towards a small stand where the large torches are lit. She took the flag and smiled. "I've got the flag." She said as she began to run out.

            "Trish, take the left, the path is clear." She heard Dess say over the earphone and Trinity took his word for it. She ran out and strafed left as she fired off at Malcolm who was shooting at her as well. Trish was pulled back when one bullet landed in the middle of the chest but quickly shot back because of her suit. She started to run faster but she was hurled to the ground when another bullet hit her neck. "Hang on Trish!" She heard Dess say as he was firing of his minigun. "Dessloch is on killing spree!!" 

            Trinity pressed her right hand against the wound on her neck and started to run towards her base. She felt another bullet hit her feet and she fell again, this time she was forced to roll down all the way to her base. Trinity coughed up the sand that got into her mouth as she slowly got up. This time, Trinity dropped her minigun and did her best to limp towards her base. "Dessloch's killing spree was ended by Malcolm."

            She wiped off the blood off her eyebrow where she hit a rock while rolling as she kept running. She ran into the base and scored. "Trinity has captured the red flag. Blue team scores." Trinity slowly slid down the wall as she took a deep breath. This is a very hard match. She doesn't know how long will she hold on. She cleaned her wounds quickly with the health pack and wrapped a bandage around her neck to stop bleeding. She will take out the bullets in the infirmary but for now, she must continue.

            Trinity couldn't go into the battle. She was too tired to run and she was too weak. She ran into the portal, next to the shock rifle, on the left. And picked up the new Redeemer. She'll keep it for now; she'll need to use it when she'll have the flag. She exited through the portal and went into the opposite one where she appeared in a terrace similar to the red team's and picked up the new sniper and some ammo. She looked out into the distance and decided to snipe a little. She will regain her strength in the meanwhile as will she be defending the base.

            Trinity fragged many people, but she tried to find Lauren. She didn't like her taunting at her and she is guessing they are not going to be very good friends. Trinity shot mostly in the head to make it quick but for someone like Lauren she did it painfully. First she shot her in the knee which made her stumble then she would shoot in the chest making her fall backwards and finally in the head. Yeah she enjoyed this little game but knew that her team needs her.

            Satisfied with a Godlike and a whopping of at least 10 frags of Lauren and 15 of other red team members, Trinity decided to pack this up. She got to her feet and ran out of the terrace and ran outside to help her comrades get the flag.

            She ran out and found a couple of people starting down the asteroid. Just when she was about to kill them Dessloch fragged them all. "Dessloch is on rampage." Trinity looked at him and he shrugged. "I told you I've got you covered." Trinity smiled and nodded. "Thanks." She quickly looked back at the foreground and saw two people coming towards them. One of them was Malcolm…

            Trinity fragged him first with a nice clean bullet in his head. She then quickly aimed at Aryss and shot her in the leg which she stumbled and rolled down the hill. Just when she was about to finish her off, Aryss didn't rise. She was already dead. Trinity nodded and went towards the top with Dess following her. 

            Once again when Trinity got to the center and started to go down, Dess planted himself near the ridge and started to fire away. She ran towards the entrance and spotted Lauren running at her with bullets from hell. Trinity dodged left and picked up a minigun herself from a corpse. "You don't mind if I borrow it, do you?" She asked the corpse as she stood up and quickly jumped out into view and started to fire at Lauren but Dess got to her first.

            Trinity decided not to bother so she ran into the red base and got the flag. Getting out of the base was not a problem but getting to her base certainly was. As bullets rammed into the back of her, pushing her down making her lose her footing, slowed her down from reaching the middle. Trinity got tired of it as she dropped everything and turned around as she took out the Redeemer. She aimed at the walls of the entrance and she was pushed back as her back hit the floor when she launched the missile. She grunted and picked up her minigun as she ran for her base.

            The large rocket exploded against the wall before she reached the center. She made a leap when she heard the sound wave from the impact hurled over to her. She rolled a few feet and got up as she was all worn out. She didn't know if she killed anyone, and she really doesn't care. As long as she gets this flag into her base. She was very tired.          

            She stumbled the last distance to the flag and scored. "Trinity captures the red flag. Blue team scores." The female computer voice has announced. This is it. She needs to make the last flag in and they all could go home. Oh she couldn't wait so she had to hurry but she was so tired. 

            "Dessloch is on killing spree!" The announcer exclaimed as she stumbled over a few steps and slid down the wall. Her heart was racing, she was breathing hard, her chest was burning and she was tired. She can't go on. She heard footsteps come her way and she quickly pointed the minigun at the intruder's face. 

            It was Dessloch and she quickly dropped her weapon. "Trish, you alright?" He asked her as he took a knee and looked at her. "You're bleeding." He said as he took a medkit and started to dress her wound on her arm. She smiled. "I know." Dessloch cupped her face with his hands and looked dead into her eyes. "You are going to make it. Hang in there." Trinity looked at him blankly and nodded. 

            "Come on. Just one more flag, I'll be watching you're back, alright?" He asked her as he held her shoulders. Trinity heard him breathe deeply, meaning he was tired to but she nodded anyway. Dess got up and extended a hand. She took it gladly and he pulled her up and handed her the minigun. Trinity nodded again and looked at Dess. "Let's Rock." She quietly said and Dess nodded. "That's right. Let's Rock."

            Trinity took a deep breath and ran out of the blue base. Trinity ran past the middle and started to go down. She couldn't concentrate; she was too weak she even stumbled on her way and nearly fell. She started to shoot at Lauren but she missed every shot, she didn't see clearly. Trinity ran into the red base where Lauren hid and met her. They started to shoot each other as Trinity got the flag. "Dessloch's killing spree was ended by Malcolm."

            As unbelievable as it may seem, Trinity couldn't kill Lauren, she missed almost every shot. Or so it seemed because it felt as though she was un-killable. Trinity limped out of the base and met with Brock. Trish knew she wouldn't make it, Dess wasn't there to watch her back and she was nearly a walking dead.

            Brock shot her in her back and she hit the deck. She didn't get up she was too tired. If only she could rest if only she wouldn't respawn she didn't want to feel this pain. "Trinity's Killing Spree was ended by Brock."

            Trish appeared near the minigun but she collapsed that same minute. "What's going on??" She asked herself tiredly. She looked up from the ground and everything was blurry. Trinity tried to get up but she was in pain. She was sent to dreams as she heard one last voice, "Trish??" 

(a/n): So what do you think?? A cliffhanger, huh? Don't worry you'll find out what will happen. This chapter was long and I had fun writing it. I hope you had fun reading it. Just tell me if it's too long because I don't want to torture any of you with my other chapters. From now on all the chapters will be like this because they will be about matches. So don't forget to tell me because if it's too long, I'll break it up.


	23. Raging Wars Part I

(a/n): Sorry, I am so SORRY for such a long wait. Just don't kill me please!! I know I haven't updated in a few weeks but I need to feel this story when I write it to find the right words. Please, pretty please, I'm doing my best. Don't kill me—yet. I promise there won't be a lot of waits, okay?? Okay. 

But first why not say hello and thank you to my lovely reviewers.

**_Fun:_** Hello once again my fellow friend! I am really happy that you loved the fighting scene! Thank you so much. It was so hard to write it and I did my best. I admire your way of thinking that all that pressure was nothing for Trish! You know what? You are completely right! It was nothing for Trish. She is strong enough!! Fun, you are a real wonderful interpreter and I enjoy reading your reviews. You are, also, right about Dess. He was rocking cool wasn't he? Yeah, if only he was real!!!!! Well thanks a lot Fun and of course, keep reading!!

**_shrtys-sk8er:_**Yay!!!!! Your back! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Thanks for your complements and I know what you mean by 'crazy' when it comes to Facing Worlds. I really love that map and it requires skills, and good skills. Sorry that I can't get it fast enough but that's why playing a game is sometimes better than reading a book or story because it's faster, you feel like you are part of it and you interact with it. But, hey, I'm doing my best. Thanks once again, you give me a lot of support.

**_rookie one:_** Looks like we have a new reviewer. Hehe. I know, it's a little childish in the beginning because it's from a kid's point of view but it gets bloody in the next chapters. Thank you for your compliments and hope you keep reading.

**_COUGH:_** COUGH you are too much! Haha. Thank you, thank you very much. I am so glad you loved the chapter. Thank you so much for your support. Well then I guess you will definitely enjoy the last few chapters! ^_~

**_Slash The Ironman:_** Right on! Trish should blow his remains into smithereens. Hmm. Now that you mention it, it's a great idea!! Malcolm is too cruel to Trish, time to show him who's the real BOSS. Thanks. Hahaha. 

You should update your fic too. I can't wait to see what happens!

Now, please everyone:

ENJOY!!!!!

Chapter23: Part I: Raging Wars

The whole place was dark, as Trinity was running through the unknown. Trees crowded together creating a maze that will take years to get out of. She looked back, sprinting from something she cannot see. Her heart was racing as she jumped over a fallen branch from an old tree. She was running away from something she couldn't admit, something she was truly afraid of only where she could tell in dreams.

She pushed back the long green lining from the trees that was like a net as she ran through the forest. Laughter followed up behind her, that same laughter she heard all these years. Trish breathed faster as she sprinted through more trees, pushing the branches from her face, scratching her arms. Her throat was burning and her eyes were swollen from the mist that started to rise, creating a fog. 

Floor became invisible, as the mist has risen up to her knees, creating a cloud image, completely covering the floor. She looked back once again, still couldn't see anything but her heart has told her that something's there. Running away on instincts, completely terrified of what the outcome might be if the monster will catch up to her.

She tripped over a branch covered by the mist of clouds and her heart skipped a beat. She rolled on her back to see the horror but he wasn't there. No one was there. There was no mist; there were no trees, no laughter filling up the darkness of the unknown. In fact, she was in a quiet garden outside of the Liandri. 

Streetlights lit up and birds singing from afar the evening tune. Trish, completely confused looked around her, the wooden benches against the walls of the tall castle and the nice fountain near the gates. She took a step towards the benches, crushing the leaves under her, and a figure seemed to appear to sit on the benches, head lowered and hands knitted together. 

"Dess?" She asked. She came up to the figure, her feet crushing the leaves and she stopped. Leaves. That's all she has heard. The tune of birds has stopped and the water beating on the floor of the fountain has vanished. 

She took another step only to find the Liandri building gone and the night sky turn into that same darkness she has escaped from. "Dess?" She asked the figure that was the only one she saw, still sitting on the bench with a streetlight to it's right. "Where are we?" Her voice was clear in the still air, as she could hear her own heartbeat. She came up to touch him but her hand went right through him. She yanked her hand back and backed away. "Who are you?" Her voice as hollow as the blackness. 

The figure didn't answer as it stood up, face covered by the shadows. "Dess? I know it's you." She quietly said as she tried to make the face out. She was interrupted by a cruel laughter, that same laughter she was running from. Eyes widening, she turned to run only to find him standing there. "What?" She asked herself as she turned her head to the bench again to see him standing there too.

"Good job, Dessloch, good job." The figure in front of her said. 

"I knew you would pull it off." 

"That was the easy part." The figure near the bench said, chuckling. "Trish, you fell so easy and yet so deep."

"Dessloch?" Her voice trembled as she has spoken her friend's name but the figure only smiled.

"Sorry Trish." He pulled out the gun and shot her.

"AHHHHHH!" Trish sat up in bed, panting and sweating. The room was still, with an alarm clock to her left and an open window on her right with the moon peaking in. She was still alive. She exhaled a long breath and rubbed her eyes as she started to sob. Covering her face with both hands she cried, releasing her sorrow. 

What did her dream mean? Why was Dessloch in it as a traitor? She didn't know. "Trish?" A soft voice broke her sobs as she looked up into darkness with teary eyes. "Dess is that you?" She felt cool hands touch her shoulders and the moon lighted up Dessloch's tired face. She threw her arms around him tightly not letting go as she cried onto his shoulder. 

"Shh. It's okay Trish, it was just dream, shh it's okay." He silently repeated the same words, comforting her and staying motionless as she cried everything she had for.

            Dessloch came into the new bunker of the Blood Reavers, next morning, and saw everyone scattered on the couches and armchairs except for one person. Trinity. She went to fight the Final Challenge. Dessloch left the room immediately, to try and consult with Trish again. He will not lose her, he cannot lose her and right now this moment, he is so afraid for her. He jogged towards the Lift Hallway and saw Trinity putting up her backpack.

            "Trinity! Wait! Don't go!" He screamed after her as he ran for the lift. She turned to look at him but her face was covered with her mask and glasses. She pressed the switch and the lift went up into the Lift Hallway. "Trish!" He slammed into the glass doors, separating him and the lift. He screamed and banged on it. 

            Figuring it was no use he turned to the engineer that operated the doors and lifts manually. "Get this thing opened, dammit!" He pointed towards the door with impatience. "I…I can't." He stumbled, obviously afraid of him. "And why the hell not!" Dessloch grabbed him by his collar and slammed against the nearest wall. "Because the—the tour—the tournament is—" The engineer barely got his words out of him mouth as he trembled with fear. "Spit it OUT!" Dessloch slammed him again and held him a good foot from the floor. "Because the tournament has started!" The engineer cried his words out as Dessloch let him go. "Damn." He stated and watched the mechanic run away. "Trish." He looked towards the entrance of the stadium and heard the announcer start.

            "The Match will start in 5…4…3…2…1. Begin." Trinity appeared in a silver hallway, with an opening in front of her, in the Phobos space station near Mars. Trish picked up a minigun to her right and climbed up to a ramp that brought her to yet another opening, revealing a shooter on the bottom floor. She didn't think as she bolted him with bullets, first hitting his rifle which exploded and then turning his head into statically dysfunctional circuit where the wires danced around. "Sucker." She taunted as the announcer informed her that she has drew first blood. 

            All of her opponents were mechs, she was the only human in this match and that was a major disadvantage to her. But something as simple as this won't prevent her from taking the cup and blowing Xan off the face of Earth into space.  

            Trinity continued to run through the hallway as a shootout was heard in the same place were she nailed her opponent and a robotic, female computer voice boomed through the map, "Too easy." Trinity was at a tie. Time to make some Killing Sprees if she wanted to win. She needs 15 frags to win and she is not letting anyone get past her. She hopes anyways.

            Trinity ran past a lift where someone very familiar hit a ball of metal into her. Trinity hurled away at the weight and barely got up, returning fire into her lover's nemesis; Matrix. She hid behind an opening that led outside into space and waited him out. He hurt her pretty bad and she had to limp away. Turning around to make sure he didn't follow her, Matrix emerges and fires another ball of metal fragging her into space. "Boom, hahahaha." Matrix laughed in his inhuman voice.

            Trish respawned, completely enraged that he entered this fight, she cracked her neck and anger was burning in her eyes. She picked up the second crappiest weapon she hated in this tournament, the Ripper, and started to fire away at the people on the bottom floor with her. She didn't know if she would be able to frag them because they were moving in out of the central room. 

            Hearing the horrific sound of the minigun with an equipped damage amplifier made her situation worse. Seeing all three mechs get completely decimated into pieces with machine oil painting the walls made her swallow and run as Matrix ran after her.

            _Damn him._ She ran up the stairs and bumped into a female mech with a rocket launcher in her face. "Die, human!" She cried as she fired off the rocket. Trish ducked and cut the mech's head off with one fine blade of her weapon as she got pummeled in the back with the explosive rounds of Matrix's minigun. She fought to stay conscious as Matrix pulled her by her bloody hair and whispered in her ear, "Burn, baby." He dropped her hard to the floor.

            Trinity respawned at the top and picked up the shock rifle in rage. She quickly found Matrix at the central room and fired off a ball of plasma and shot it, creating a shockwave. Sadly, it didn't hit Matrix as he ran into a hallway. Trinity jumped down to chase after him as something shone in her left eye. She smiled evilly as she ran up a few steps and got the rocket launcher. She loaded it and ran after Matrix.

            As she jumped down she saw his body fly right past her into a wall. He didn't move, he was surely dead and Trinity smiled as she was relishing how he twitched and dropped down to his knees. She turned to the mech that has killed him and fired off rockets at it, blowing it off into body parts that soon were squashed from the impact into oily strings and wires.

            She backpedaled into the hallway as another female came to kill her with a rocket exploding to her left. Noticing she is out of ammo she drops the heavy gun and takes out her shock rifle and with perfect accuracy, she burned a hole in the mech. It staggered, looking down at its hole and slumped down to the floor, dead. 

            Trinity wiped off the sweat from her eyes and went to find some patches to stop her from bleeding from her arm. She ran out into the hallway and her eyes widen as a large explosion burned everyone to dust. She turned to run as she too was swallowed by the explosion of the great powerful Redeemer. 

            She screamed as she reappeared in the hallway feeling completely helpless. She is the only one actually against Xan. These people are his slaves; he ordered them to be against her. That coward. He shall taste her bullets.

            She appeared outside on the roof with a sniper rifle. She picked it up and jumped down, carefully, sticking to walls, to try and land without hurting herself. She was successful, but she jumped between another shootout. She ran up the same steps and picked up the rocket launcher. It took one rocket to hit the mech directly with Trinity's perfect accuracy as she ran back to get out of the view from the other shooters.

            She turned to face the way she was running and saw the same female she just blew into pieces; pick up the GES bio rifle. Trinity kneed, looked into the crosshair of the launcher, and shot out a well aimed rocket that has taken her head off and blow up her body, with oily chucks splattering across the rounded rectangular window, showing space.

            Trinity turned to another shooter behind her, equipped with a shield belt, aiming a launcher at her. He fired a homing missile and Trinity dropped her heavy gun to try and out run it. She rounded the corner which led her to the central room again, the missile still following her. She rounded another corner and came back to the hall where the owner of the missile was. She jumped up, grabbed onto his shoulders and flipped over him and rolled down the hall as the missile impacted onto his robotic body, firing him to fragments in an instance. 

            Trinity took a big breath as she picked up her rocket launcher and went back to the central room to get to the top. Matrix met her once again but with a minigun. He fired at her and she backpedaled as she fired back. Matrix's inhuman advantage was against her as he dodged all the missiles and jumped on top of her, knocking her launcher from her hand. "What does he see in you?" Matrix teased her as he pointed the minigun at her face. "You're just a human." 

            Trinity's training kicked in as she did the same hit as Zack once taught her. She kicked his minigun to a side and rolled towards his unprotected body and gave him a full blow with both of her fists. She rolled to jump up and got to her feet as Matrix fell into the hallway and gotten blown up in pieces by someone she couldn't see.

            Cathode, a female mech which she fragged a couple of times, emerged with fire burning in her inhuman eyes. It fired a missile that went passed her and Trish's heart nearly stopped. Trish ran towards Cathode, knowing there was not time to waste. She sprinted towards it, knocking it off its feet as she picked up the mech and shielded herself from the blast of the Redeemer.

            Trinity dropped the frying corpse but she felt burns up her legs and arms. She grabbed her side with pain as she picked up the minigun left from the blazing corpse of Matrix. She limped towards the lift that would take her up, but it was such a long way with the condition she is in. 

            She limped up the hallways, wondering when will she see the lift. Hearing the shootout again in the central room made her go faster as the pain got worse. She dropped to the floor when a rocket went through the window, exploding above her. She crawled across the opening and got to her feet to run as bullets barely missed her. They knew she was up here.

            She got to the lift and barely held herself together as it went up. She nearly dropped out of the lift as she crawled to her feet and limped towards a very narrow ramp to the right of the lift where a shield belt was held. 

            Bullets and rockets zipped by her as she did her best to speed up to try and get to the shield belt with her heavy minigun. 

Distracted by a figure above her jumping through space, Matrix trying to reach what might save her life. Enraged by him she ran to her left instead, running for the damage amplifier, knowing it is too late to run for the shield belt because Matrix was running at full speed. "Hahaha!" Matrix laughed as he landed near the belt and equipped it. "Buckle up sweetie 'cause you're going for a ride!" He screamed after her as he ran towards her. He shot out a homing missile at her, when he got up to the other end of the deck, as she leaped for the damage amplifier and fell over the edge as the rocket hit the floor.

            Hanging to the edge, Trinity aimed at his feet and fired off as explosive rounds of the minigun destroyed his knee and he doubled over, fell on the bridge she was on. "Oh no you don't." She whispered as she fired after him before he got a chance to fire another rocket, gaining herself a frag. 

            Trish put the rifle on the bridge as she pulled herself and met up with yet another mech, holding her weapon. He seemed to load it and Trinity spun as she crouched and tripped him over the edge. "Ahh!" Its robotic voice screamed after it. She quickly caught the weapon and splattered its microchip in place for its brains. 

            She let out a deep long breath and put her free hand on her knee. "Well, this is a fun match, huh?" She asked her best friend, the minigun. She got up, using the gun to support her and ran out of the dangerous walkway. 

            Bullets zipped by her, hitting her left arm and hurling her away to a side. She grabbed her wound with her right hand as she held her weapon with her left. Cathode. That same box of bolts that just seems like they will never get along. Ever. Sad. She'd want someone as stuck up as her to be her friend to deal with Xan. But looks like she just went out of line.

            Trish kneed once again, to get the best accuracy with her weapon as possible. Looking through the crosshair, perfectly seeing how Cathode dropped her sniper rifle and ran after her. Without hesitation she squinted from the loud sound blasted through the quiet space, leaving burning holes from the rounds. Cathode, looking down at her body full of holes, raised her head to face Trish to receive the last bullet in her head, blowing it to pieces from the amplifier. "I'm sorry did I blow your head apart?" Trinity nicely apologized as she went to look for a med-kit, a patch, medicine, or even a band-aid. She must win this battle if she wants to fight Xan.   

            "Hang in there, Trish." Dess sounded hurt as though he felt her pain. He ran out of the stadium, he knows where is this all coming too. He had to do something, or else Xan will kill Trinity. He knows it, Trish doesn't. He won't allow her to die. 

            He ran into the Red Bunker where Visor was standing, guarding the entrance. "Out of my face, Visor!" Dess said as he tried to push him to a side but he didn't budge. "Only Red Team members are allowed to enter the Red Bunker." Visor's voice cracked in his robotic tone. "Damn you, Visor." Dess needed to talk to Zack fast, he needed his help or else Trish would die when she would face Xan. 

            He turned around making it look like he is walking away. Once he had a good distance, Dess turned and ran at the robot at full speed. "ARRRHHH!" Dess jumped the last few feet and knocked the robot down with his foot like he would a closed door. "Dessloch, you will be reported!" Visor helplessly cried when Dess ran into the hall screaming back, "Sue me!"

            Trish was standing at the very top of the whole Phobos space station, with a sniper rifle in hand. She was sitting on one knee as the other one supported her elbow for a good aim. She didn't find anyone wondering on deck of the space station yet but she was leading and she had time to spare. She was waiting for her suit to respond to her injuries and recover her by boosting her energy. One of the good things her father has built in this suit was recovery ability but it was acting slowly since she barely used it. 

A figure caught her sharp eye as it ran from the elevator towards the damage amplifier. The prey seemed like an ant from here, more of like a dot. She looked into the scope as she zoomed in. Sniping is one of the things she's good at as she blew the robots head off just before it reached the amplifier. From here, it seemed like ripping of a doll's head off with no blood—or oil. It made her feel better for once by not seeing anything spill out. 

She exhaled and closed her eyes. It was quiet out here. She didn't hear anything and she basically didn't see anything but the deck of the space station. It is a good place to stay and rest at but this is also a dead end. And she can't afford to fall because she will die from it.

She continued waiting out her foes as her suit's micro-machines, worked hard in restoring her internal balance. "Lift 1 activated." A female's computer voice warned her about an enemy coming up to get her. She doesn't doubt one bit it is Matrix. 

She carefully looked down and saw Matrix, loading up his rocket launcher and sends a swarm of rockets at her. Trinity backed away as they went right passed her face and into space. She breathed faster and looked around to where she could hide but there was nothing. She was at a small open area. "Shit." She whispered as she turned to the edge and looked down. It was too far; she didn't know if she would make it. 

"Oh, Trishy. Come to papa." Trinity whirled around and found Matrix on the rooftop with her, pointing the big rocket launcher at her. "Say your prayers." Trinity made a flip backwards and grabbed onto the ledge as the rocket missed her. "Ho, ho, ho." Matrix laughed as he came up to the edge she was hanging at. "You are faster than I thought." He stepped on her right hand. She let go while hanging on her left. She pushed herself to her right and got up the edge quickly before Matrix would be able to step on her left hand and kicked him towards the elevator that was going down now.  

Trinity watched the elevator come back down with Matrix. She wouldn't let him come up again she must finish him. She jumped down and landed on him, knocking his rocket launcher out of his hands. She swung her sniper rifle from her shoulders into her hands and shot into his face.

Surprised and completely paralyzed, Trish watched Matrix stand up with his metallic face ruined completely. "You can't finish me that quickly, sweetie." He wound up a knee in her stomach and she fell, dropping her sniper rifle to the floor. 

The lift finally reached its destination and Matrix took Trish by her hair again. She looked at his terrible, disordered face as he punched her in hers and she flew back into the wall behind her. "Ugh." She groaned and spit out her own blood. Coming up to her, Matrix whirled her around to face him and was hit in the stomach by her sniper rifle's butt. He arced over and received another blow in the face that sends him to the floor. 

            Trinity shot the switch as she sat on top of Matrix, her rifle across his neck. "Lift 1 activated." Matrix shot a look at her as he froze. "You won't get away with this." He snarled as he struggled to get free. He put his hands around her neck and started chocking her, as she pressed harder. His head lifted from the floor as the lift went up. Trinity looked away when oil splattered her face when the upcoming wall beheaded Matrix.

            Hands still wrapped around her, she tried to unwrap his fingers but it was useless. She took the sniper rifle still with her, pointed at his hand, closed her eyes, and shot it. The hand fell from her neck and she shot the other. She took in as much oxygen as she could, her trachea burning for trying to get the oxygen she couldn't. 

            She sat back, holding her rifle in place as the lift reached the roof. 

            "Has he gotten any blueprints of her suit?" Xan barked at Kira who was monitoring the match. "No, sir. But it seems that her suit makes her faster. She definitely needs it desperately in matches like these." Kira said without looking back. "She is weak, Kira. She won't last a minute out there without it. Continue monitoring the cameras and tell me if Matrix scanned her yet." Xan left the Monitor Room and headed for his office.

            He needed to know what could Trinity do in a match and he must design something against it. This was a perfect plan but he still needs to know what her suit is made out off. If the suit is like a version of his, than he is in big trouble. And he only has 3 matches left to find out. 

            He sat at his desk, calming himself. Everything will be alright. He knows everything will be just great. It is a matter of time, when Trinity will fall. He already set up some traps just for her. Now it's all a matter of her strength. This week is the last of Trinity's winning streak. "Hahahahahahahahaha. Hahahahahahahaha."

            Trinity went down the elevator, feeling a lot better than before. She went to her left that led outside of the Phobos station. She picked up the energy drinks (health vials) and the gravity boots. She turned to look up to see if she good jump and spotted a flak cannon right in front of her against the wall of the entrance she just came in from.

            She dropped her sniper rifle and picked up the flak cannon and followed up by good flak shells and armor pads. Satisfied with her weaponry, health, and equipment, she went onto the bridge where she boosted herself up to the ledge on top only to find Matrix, equipped with a shield belt down below on the other side of the ledge.

            He was chasing after Cathode and Trinity did want to help her out but than she could use this situation to her advantage. She launched a ball that hit the floor and erupted to pieces, hitting Matrix, draining his shield belt, and Cathode in the body that shred her to pieces. 

            Matrix dodged another ball of discarded metal as he jumped through an opening, when his shield drained. Trinity aimed for the opening and fired the minute he jumped into view, blowing him to pieces that splattered the bottom floor that was seen from here.

            Trinity started to descend down the ramp as someone respawned below her and went down the ramp into the opening. Trinity fired off hot brisk of metal which scraped off the walls. Having heard the cry of the inhuman robot surprised her when it hid behind the opening. Trinity sent a flying ball of hot metal to finish off the robot and was successful. 

            She wondered about what reaction she has received from her victims. The mechs she fragged so far did make a stressful sound when she killed them and blew them to pieces. Do they really feel this? Are they really human or it is one of the jokes Xan is playing on her. Maybe she has gone completely crazy from these matches. She didn't know but she sure was surprised about it.

            Trinity fell into the opening, as another mech appeared right next to her. Startled at such a sudden appearance, Trinity fired off the primary fire and decimated the mech into thousand pieces of wires, oil and metal. 

            "Congratulations, you are the winner." The announcer in her earpiece has said as she dropped her weapon in relief. It ended a bit too fast for her because she thought this match would never be over. 

            To keep up her faith and to make Xan feel worse, she raised two of her hands in the air to pronounce victory, screaming "Let's ROCK!!!!!!!"

(a/n): Well? What did you think of this chapter? I hope it is not too long and I hope I didn't bore you guys. I did my best on this chapter and it took me quite a long time to write it. I hope the long wait was worth it. Please tell me your opinions because they are very important to me. The next chapter will be up as soon as possible but I'm trying to make the last chapters as best as possible.

Well 'till next time.

Later Gators. 


	24. Raging Wars Part II

(a/n): Hello! Again! I promised myself there won't be a lot of waits, so here I am again!!!!!! I am glad you all are enjoying my story. This means so much to me because that means that I have done my job of entertaining you. Thank you all so much. Well this fic is continuing, there are a few chapters left but don't look blue. The last chapters will be the longest and the best so far. I will do my best to satisfy you all. 

Before we get on with the story I would love to thank my lovely reviewers.

**_FUN: _**Oh Thank you SO much!!!!!! I am really happy you are enjoying yourself. Well a few chapters will be like that and the final match will be a good one. It's a good thing you look forward to it because it takes place at a very nice map. ^_^ Well enjoy.

**_COUGH:_** I don't know what to say but thank you. I'm glad it was worth it and I hope I won't let you wait so long again. You are already thinking about the end??? The chapters are going to be great throughout what is left of the book to read. And about a sequel…hm. I'm still thinking about that. So cross your fingers!! But while you are doing so, enjoy.

**_Slash The Ironman:_** You are really good at voicing my feelings!! I didn't like Cathode either. It seemed to me as if she was stalking me all the time. So I used her to get me some frags. Hehehe. Well what more can I say??? Enjoy? Lol. Now, who was saying about sounding like a broken record??? LOL.

**_amaris:_** Welcome back!!! I so glad you are enjoying my story. Don't worry more will be up soon. I'm sure you'll like it!

**_Xavier:_** Why hello and thank you for your review. I am pleased you enjoyed my matches, that means I did a job well done. I'm glad you like the storyline because it took me quite a long time to make it up. I started to right this book 4 years after I started to play Unreal Tournament. Thank you once again and I hope you keep reading! 

**_shrtys-sk8er:_** Thank you!! I'm really glad you think the action is getting faster. Guessing I'm succeeding. Well I'm doing my best. Well this chapter will be a little slow in action but still I'm working on it. Thanks for your compliments!

I've got to say it one final time. 

ENJOY!!!

Chapter24: Raging Wars Part II

            Trinity did her best to avoid Dessloch. She couldn't bear to see him again before she wins this cursed tournament. She knew he didn't want her to enter the final matches but she couldn't forget about her main goal. She had come to this tournament for a purpose. She must fulfill that purpose and no one will stop her. 

            Seeing Dessloch would have made it worse. The last time they talked, Dess almost prevented her from entering the last matches. He is good at getting what he wants and she doesn't blame him. She doesn't want to see him because she didn't want to see that look on his face, that look where it is written across his face that he doesn't want to lose her. 

            Trish sighed as she sat down on the bench outside of the Liandri building. It was midnight and the moon was full. She took a deep breath, thinking over of what to do, what to expect and how to deal with it. Not much really, she expects to win and she will win by not giving up and doing her best. Zack has taught her too well to lose, she won't lose, she can't lose. This is her destiny, her path, her choice. 

            Wind blew past her covered face and her long, beautiful hair spilled over her shoulders as she took a deep long breath. She closed her eyes and rested, waiting for the tournament to be announced. She knew she was going to participate in the match and she will give it her best shot. No one will forget this year's tournament. She will leave the audience in astonishment that this year won't even have words to describe it.

            _Yes._ Trinity thought. _It will all be over soon. Don't worry, father. I will have you avenged. I will set things right. This year's tournament will be its last, I promise you father. Finally you will be able to rest in peace. Let it be a week of redemption for those who have fallen in the tournament. _Trinity opened her eyes and smiled. "I will make you proud, father."

            "I'm sure you will make him proud." A deep voice behind her said. Trish grinned and turned to look at her old friend. "Yeah, thanks to you, Zack. I don't know how to repay you." Zack came over to her and took her by her shoulders, making her get up. 

            "I know how you could." He said and smiled. Trinity looked confused when he said that. "You do?" She asked, hesitating. Zack only nodded and pulled her closer and hugged her. "You can repay me by surviving, Tanichka." He said in a soft voice. 

            Trish pulled back playfully and looked at him. "I'm not THAT little anymore for you to call me that." Zack laughed as he hugged her again. "Oh, Tanya, I don't want to lose you. Do you know how dangerous this is?" Trish only nodded as she squeezed his shoulders. "You know I have to do this. I must do this." Tears welded up in her eyes again as she thought of what might happen if she won't win.

            "I know you must do this." Zack pulled back and held her at the length of his arm. "But that isn't the question." He looked into his eyes which showed a lot of worry. "Will you be okay? The tournament's outcome might change your life drastically. I don't want you to change. You already have changed." Zack's voice faltered when he said the last words. 

            Trish's lower lip trembled as she looked at him. She already has changed. Of course she has. Ever since she met Xan, Matrix, and Dess she has changed. She is not that same Tanya anymore. No, she is not Tanya at all. She is Trinity. A tear went down her cheek and into her mask. Tanya Menace has died, along with her father. 

            Trish looked to the floor, ashamed at such defeat, ashamed at such failure. She had no words, she had no defense, no lead, Zack was completely right. She opened her mouth to let out a cry of distress but nothing came out as tears rolled down her mask. 

            "Tanya?" Zack looked at her as she threw her arms around him, crying into his shoulder. "Shh. It's alright. It's alright." He whispered, caressing her hair. "You shouldn't be sad about it. You should be happy, Tanya. You have gone this far." He pulled back and smiled. Tanya wiped her tears and nodded. "Right." She whispered the word which still broke. "Might as well finish this, eh?" He asked her and held her close. "Just to me a fave, alright. Don't die on me. So many people need you. They need you, so much that they are willing to die for you."

            Tanya smiled and hugged him. "Thanks, bro." She said and watched him. "You haven't called me that in years." He cupped her face and smiled. "Your welcomed, sis." This time he wiped her tears away with his thumb and took off her glasses to look into her eyes. 

            "Just when you're out there." He said softly. "Don't forget who you are, in here—" He pointed at herheart. "—and here." He kissed her on her forehead. "Most importantly, don't die down there, Tanichka. Dessloch needs you, I need you, even Boris needs you." She smiled. "We all need you." He said and hugged her again. "Now—" He pulled back. "—go out there, and kick their asses so hard that they wouldn't be able to sit on them for decades. Don't forget to put a signature footprint as well. As for Xan, blow his pieces to smithereens for me. Extra crispy, please." She laughed at his choice of words and kissed him on the check.

            "Don't worry, it'll be extra hot, too." She smiled as she watched Zack put on the glasses for her. "Do your worse, Tanichka." He said. She nodded and walked away into the Liandri building. 

            Trinity felt so much better when she came up to the lift hallway. What will she do without Zack? "Thank you." She whispered under her breath and smiled when the announcer has started.  

            Trinity appeared on one of the three high towers of the Morpheus Galaxyscraper superstructure. The towers stood high in the Earth's thin, high, atmosphere, well far away from the core, making gravity extreme light. This fight will be difficult to manage, while not only the bots are against her but, also, the environment is hard to adapt to.

            But Trinity had no time to waste at a crucial map as this. Trinity ran down the ramp to her left, hoping to find a good weapon to riddle her opponents with. Following the short passage to an open area with an opening leading towards the blackness of space and the other two towers. 

            Seeing a mech glide through the thin gravity from this tower to the next, Trinity loaded her Enforcer and fired away. _Bang, bang, bang, bang._ Trinity closed her eyes at time she pressed the trigger and the bullets rammed into his back, breaking his circuits. "First Blood!" The announcer has pronounced and only then Trinity let his body fall freely into the endless space. 

            Trish smiled and ran to her left to pick up the Ripper and she was ready to butcher some heads off their necks. Trinity jumped out and felt how gravity really is light here. She glided through the short distance and onto another tower, joining with a fight between the two mechs, and one of them happened to be Cathode. 

            The second mech, suddenly, turned towards Trish as both of them started to go after her. Trish shot out an explosive disk straight into Tensor, pushing him off the edge and into space. Cathode was left and Trinity was just cut by the last blade Tensor fired off. 

            Trinity turned and ran up the ramp, ignoring the Shockrifle on the deck and pushed herself from her feet into the air as she jumped on a higher platform and picked up the invisibility. Cathode came running along as she picked up the Shockrifle herself and looked around, trying to find her. 

            Trinity aimed and fired another explosive disk which made Cathode scatter to pieces. Her limbs splattered across the deck with machine oil painting the walls. Trinity jumped down into the pool of Cathode's death and looked for a bandage to stop the bleeding from her arm. Trinity ran down the ramp and saw a female mech strafing from left to right as she fired off at another. Trinity aimed and fired one spinning blade which has ran through the mechs neck. The female stopped firing as she tumbled to the floor and her head rolled off the tower leaving malfunctioning circuit behind.

            Trinity quickly rolled towards the Sniper rifle the female was holding and ran up the ramp as she was disturbed by someone shooting blades straight at her. Trinity felt the blood loss in her arm as her heart beat faster. She had to do something quick. 

            So she did. She jumped off the tower and onto the next, shorter tower. She rolled when her feet touched the ground and picked up the heavy rocket launcher as she strapped the Sniper rifle behind her back. She jumped onto the higher platform, this time finding a redeemer. 

            Suddenly Trinity smiled and dropped her rocket launcher carefully as she replaced it with the big gun. "Hello, Cathode. Here's a gift from me to you." She taunted as she crouched, made sure she had her ground and fired the big gun. The rocket went straight for the building Trinity escaped from where Cathode was running around with the Ripper. She was completely fried into millions of pieces that have splattered through the middle deck, not even leaving any burning debris.

            "Killing Spree!" The announcer boomed and Trinity smiled. She disposed of the weapon and picked up the rocket launcher. Now, where could that medkit be? Trinity thought when she jumped down to the lower level and looked behind the ramp and there they were, her lifesavers.

            Trinity took one box and quickly ran down the ramp inside the structure as the shootout became more intense. She quickly opened it up as she ran and put the big strap on her shoulder with millions of tiny needles that included microbes to help her heal.

            When she felt the needles bite her skin she took off the strap, leaving behind a rash, red skin. Trinity grabbed the launcher and jumped out from the opening, already aiming for her next target, Divisor. _Beeb._ Trinity fired her launcher with a homing missile and with a blink of an eye; Divisor was nothing more but scrap metal.

            Trinity didn't stop in her tracks; this was a map where you can never stop unless you wanted to be riddled with the unknown. She had to keep running if she wanted to stay alive. _A moving target is harder to hit than a stationary one._ Zack's words rang in her head from the past when she has trained for this.

            Up top was Cathode, blazing her opponent with the Shockrifle but was blown to oily bits and pieces with a good rocket. "I'm on fire!" It was Tensor again and he came here to kill her. Trinity couldn't fire at him when he was in mid air with her rocket launcher, so she started to load them up. _One…Two…Three…_ Tensor fired a rocket and hit the ground near Trinity and she was pushed away but she didn't lose her footing. _Four…_ Tensor landed and Trinity fired of the oblivion into him and into midair once again.

            Completely unsatisfied with herself, Tensor was still alive and he had enough ammunition to bombard her with. Surprisingly, Tensor landed on her shoulders and Trinity realized, firing off a missile was suicide. "I hate you." He whispered as she heard him load up his missiles. Trinity quickly dropped her rocket launcher, swapped her Sniper rifle from her back and fired a cut clean hole in his head. "Yeah, I hate you too." She said as he dropped to the deck with his fully loaded weapon.

            Trinity jumped from the rooftop onto another tower, when she spotted another medkit. She needs one badly; the explosion nearly took her apart into separate limbs. She landed and crouched near one. She opened it, laying her weapon aside and took out a hypodermic needle. She strapped a rubber band around her bicep and pumped up her muscle and her veins were seen. Taking off the cap from the needle with her mouth, Trinity injected herself with the healing device and spit out the disposal cap into space, followed by the needle.

            Finally ready to go on, Trinity felt a boost of energy when she ran up the ramp onto the top deck where the minigun was stored. Trish dropped the rocket launcher and picked up the minigun and spotted armor on top of this platform. She jumped up and equipped it.

            When hearing the footsteps on the bottom floor Trinity didn't doubt one bit she had company. She aimed down to find Function, stumbling in her way that has showed she has been shot. Without mercy, Trinity pulled the trigger when her crosshair went over Function's head and turned her circuit chip into dancing wires as she dropped to her death. 

            A bullet went right past her face into a pole. She aimed with her Sniper at the shooter, who was hiding between the columns of the lower tower. Trinity gritted her teeth and strapped the Sniper behind her shoulder once more. She jumped down to the deck of that tower and pummeled Cathode into the wall of the column, leaving her bolted to it. 

            Trinity heard fire on the bottom floor and turned to join the party. She watched Tensor running away from an unknown shooter and she finished the job herself, ramming him with bullets and pushing him off into the space. "Sucker." She said as she smiled when the announcer has pronounced her on Rampage. 

            She ran down to meet with the shooter who happened to be Cathode once again. She seemed to be running away from someone as well, but that didn't concern Trish. She fired at Cathode; opening up her ribcage from such strong fire and Cathode was no more but a doom's shadow. 

             Now it was time to check out the other shooter. Trinity wasn't scared anymore, she was a professional now, she feels it. She got up to the top again and looked down beyond the edge and watched Divisor going for the ramp. Trinity fired off, turning her skull to open surgery as she fell hitting the floor and spraying it with oil. 

            Trinity smiled and dropped her empty minigun and took her Sniper rifle. She glided through space onto another building where Function and Cathode were shooting at each other, creating crossfire. Trinity's plan was to decimate them both before they killed each other. She took aim in the mid air and put a bullet hole in Function's head as Cathode took a run for the top. 

            Trinity landed and ran up the ramp after Cathode, meeting her up top with a rocket launcher in Cathode's hands. Trinity fired one shot and hit the launcher which hurled from Cathode's hands and than fired one good shot at her temple, making her head fly into space as her body fell to the floor.

            One last frag left and Trinity would be free from this match, but she had to find someone to kill. But she knew, her enemies would always come to her. Trinity dropped her minigun, crouched and rolled towards, Cathode's launcher at the edge and fired one good homing missile at Tensor who came up behind her. "Trinity is dominating!" The announcer has said which followed up by announcing her the winner. 

            Trinity dropped her guns and wiped of the sweat, oil, and her own blood from her forehead. She raised her hands in the air and filled the arena with her screaming voice, "Let's rock!"

            Trinity appeared back in the stadium with the crowds roaring with cheers. "Trinity, Trinity, Trinity." The chattering of her name has shattered the walls of the stadium and Trinity finally felt like she is completing her dream more and more. _Soon it will be time._ Trinity thought as she bowed in front of the stage that made them louder.

            "Hahaha. Let her celebrate her victory as long as she wants. Soon, she won't be able to even celebrate her defeat. Hahahaha." Xan laughed when he shot down the screen that has shown him the whole match. "I know her weakness. What about you, Kira? Do you know what I'm thinking about?" Kira smiled when he acknowledged to her. "Depends if it's as cruel as her fighting style." She purred back and Xan started to laugh again.

            "She won't last a second on my battlefield. It will finally be complete again." Xan started to laugh his emotionless, devilish laugh. 

            Trinity walked down the hallways of the blue bunker. It was the middle of the night. Everybody was sleeping and Trinity didn't dare to enter her team's large dormitory yet. If she would enter and they will all wait for her, they will ask her so many questions that she won't have time to answer them. She didn't want them to ask her any at all. 

            She doesn't want to hurt her team, but yet it is cruel how she barely talks them. What if they are angry with her? Feeling like she has been using them? Either way she didn't want to alert them. She didn't want to hurt them because she knows what it feels like.

            She came around the hallway, slowly, taking her time like she had plenty. She did for the rest of the night. The next match starts tomorrow first thing in the morning and she needed to get rest if she wanted to do good. After that, she would be announced as a winner and fight Xan. She will be ready she must be ready. That day will be the day remembered and studied in history. She will make her father proud as she promised and no one will get in her way.

            She slowly came up to the door which led her to the new dorm of her team and slowly turned the knob. She peeked in and saw no one in the living room in the darkness where only the moon shone. She slowly tiptoed to her left where a door led to her room and opened it. 

            She slipped in unnoticed and took off her mask and glasses as she dropped on her bed and took a long breath out. How near the fight between her and Xan is. She was excited and yet terrified. She had mixed emotions as she felt hatred towards him. But one thing has changed through these weeks. She is not afraid of the man that has killed her father, anymore. She is ready, she felt as if she is reborn. She is a new person now, and she will prove it to him.

            She decided to rest and slipped off her suit from her skin and put on her nightgown. She sat on her bed, brushing her long hair as she watched the moon alone in the night. She closed her eyes as she felt so new. She put the brush on her nightstand and went to sleep. She fell to her own mind's dreams.

            Dessloch carefully watched her enter her bedroom and he fell on his own bed, covering his eyes and breathing out slowly. What should he do? He must do something if he won't do anything than he would blame himself all his life. He wouldn't be able to live if he won't help her. 

            He must warn her somehow, but she won't believe him. She would refuse to listen to him because she doesn't like talking about the future. He has no choice but to do this. He can't do anything else. All he knows is that he must do something. "I'm sorry Trish." He whispered to himself and exited the dormitory. 

(a/n): Yes, I know this chapter was shorter than you all expected but it had a lot of ideas. Can you use the hints in the story to see what will happen next? Do you know what will happen? If you go back and see how the characters interact with Trish, you could probably guess. Sorry for such a short chapter, but don't worry, this fic is not over YET!!  


	25. Raging Wars Part III

(a/n): Gwhahaha. I'm so evil, ain't I? Well, since all of you are wondering what does Dess have under his sleeve you are all going to have to wait and SEE!!! You think I'll let you go that easy? 

It would have been nice to see some of you guess but I guess that I twisted the story plot so much that's its just too hard to see. Anyway, you all will be surprised what will happen but I have been planning this for decades. It will all make sense in the end if you go back in the story. BUT it's still NOT the END YET!!!! Don't think about the end. Be like Trish and think about today. 

            Okay fine, think what you want but make sure you enjoy this story. But first, how can I forget to thank my reviewers???

**_shrtys-sk8er:_** And it is going to be a great fight, my friend. It's going to be soon and you probably know where it takes place. It's going to be a very hard match, after all Xan is the champion and no one ever beat him since he got onto that thrown. Well keep reading and see what will happen.

**_Daniel Wesley Rydell:_** Yay! Your back! I am SO happy you are still enjoying this story. I have worked so hard on it. Now my hard work is paying off. I'm so happy! Well, I know what you mean that you are scared for Trinity, she has worked so hard for this tournament and now the one she loves doesn't want her to fight Xan. The end is going to be—interesting. I, also, encourage you to write a UT fanfiction, you can do so much with it.

**_Slash The Ironman:_** Hahaha. Your evil characters? Whoever you are going send, don't let it be Fang. I'm terrified of him!!! LOL. Anyway, you won't be needing to send anyone because I will update. And what Dess is up to is a secret—that is about to be revealed in this chapter. ^_^

**_Alex:_** Thank you so much for such an encouraging review! I will continue and thank you. I did my best to make a good storyline so it wasn't all just about blood. Sorry about the mistakes, but they weren't really mistakes. You were absolutely right, though. You have written my sentences in English, while I wrote my sentences in American. It has different grammar but I better start converting because most books are written in English. Well thanks again and I hope you keep reading.

**_Fun:_ **Thank you, Fun. That was a very good review. I don't know what to say. I will do my best to write fast and I do have another twist in the plot and this one is going to hit the gut more than the first one. It's going to be a little serious but don't worry "All if for the best in all of the best possible worlds". ^_~ Enjoy, Fun.

**_COUGH:_** Don't worry, soon will be the showdown with Xan. But you have to wait a little bit longer. There is a twist in the plot because fighting with Xan isn't so simple, especially if someone doesn't want you to. Don't worry; I'm trying to do my best. I won't disappoint you, COUGH, I promise.

Okay, people—ENJOY!!!!!!!!!

Chapter25: Raging Wars Part III

            Trinity couldn't sleep after the nightmare she just had, hunting her past few nights. She didn't know what to do and she hoped it was just a dream and nothing more. Trinity hated nights, she always had something to think about or to dream about that was tearing at her mind, pulling at her fears. 

            She sits up on her bed, breathing hard, unable to control her breathing. _Why does it keep happening?_ She thought as she wiped off the sweat from her forehead. _It means nothing._ She stood up and looked at herself in the mirror, hands planted on the table. _It's just a dream nothing more; you're just being paranoid._ Trinity tried to reassure herself but it seemed useless.

            She sighed and sat back on her bed. She can't keep sleeping like this, the last match before she fights Xan starts first thing in the morning and she just wasted three hours, trying to get a good night's sleep. No, she needed to do something to get things off her mind. She can't sleep if her mind can't shut down from all the thoughts she has.

            Maybe she needs to talk to someone, maybe not. All she knows is that it might turn out for the worst. Most of her friends are trying to stop her from making a 'suicide'—in their terms, anyways. 

            Trinity did not see it as a suicide. She is seeing this as revenge or justice. She knows what she is doing is not one of the best things to do, but for her, it is the right thing to do. She must protect her name of honor. She will not allow that honor to be taken away by someone who has cheated his way to the top. It is unacceptable and she will make Xan pay.

            Trinity put on her suit and decided to walk in the lonely halls. If she couldn't sleep, might as well think things over in a calmer environment. There are so many things to do and she must be prepared. This week will be a good week. It will be a week of rebirth. Finally the Phoenix has granted its fire upon her. It will soon be time, time to start over with a new life. 

            Echoing through the halls of the Blue Bunker, Dessloch made his way to the central room. There were things he had to do and fast. Trinity will be entering the match soon and he will not allow her to be killed. He knew what this tournament meant to her but Zack did say he has a way to turn this around for the better.

            Dessloch was still unable to trust Zack and had to risk many things just by entrusting him with a very important task. He knows it is for the better but how will Trinity react in the end? She might not look at this as he does and would never forgive him. Well—as long if she'll be safe, Dessloch will risk anything. Trinity means so much to him and he won't live through her death. 

            It was time and pretty soon the outcome will be seen. It was a matter of time of how this will turn out and Dessloch just hopes they have plenty of it. "I'm ready." Dessloch called out, his voice still and cold in the ghost's hall. "Good, because there is no more time to waste." Zack's brutal voice stung the air and they both left, hoping it would be enough to help Trinity.

            Trinity couldn't sleep for the rest of the night so she ended up wondering in the hallways of the Blue Bunker. Sun was beginning to rise, a small arc over the horizon, lightening up the walls of the corridors. She wasn't tired and she wasn't sleepy. She was worried and scared a little as she still couldn't explain the meaning of the dream that kept her awake, that same dream where Dessloch betrays her and shoots her. _What can it all mean? _She asked herself as the question tore at her mind, striving to find an answer.

            She convinced herself it was just a dream of her fears and past experiences and that it meant nothing at all. Trinity didn't believe in fortunetellers, oracles, or even the theory that the future is set for you already. She is not a believer and she refuses to believe in these things because then she won't have a point to live for. Trinity made a corner, coming up to the front desk room and turning to the arena floor. The match starts soon and she will get ready for it. She would want to do a good job and not lose accidentally. It was time to get very serious because the match with Xan is so near. But Trinity doesn't believe in faith or hope, so she is not hoping she will do well, she _knows_ she will do well.

            Trinity came up to the Lift Hallway and followed the corridor where the final matches take place. Soon it will be time and she must gather her strength. Trinity went up the lift, only to find herself walking into a soulless room. It didn't bother Trinity she'll just wait for the contestants to come in.

            "Welcome, everyone, to the final match of the Final Challenge."  The announcer has started. "Today the participants will face off in the Zeto outpost. The members of the Corrupt will be facing against the Ladder Champion, Trinity. Let's all wish her luck, everyone." The crowd cheered with their cries, chanting Trinity's name and posters held up as usual. 

            Trinity came up to the middle of the stadium with the members of the 'Corrupt' and waited for someone to push the damn button on the podium-like structure. She didn't want the announcer making any more speeches and certainly she didn't want to hear the crazy mob, screaming her name.

            Trinity sighed and slammed down on the button herself before the announcer began and they all disappeared into the Zeto station.

            "The match will begin in 5…4…3…2…1." Trinity appeared in an open area on a bridge-like floor, with dim walls of the metallic structure. She ran up to the flak cannon when she was pummeled with wholes of the minigun, Tensor was carrying. Taken by surprise, Trinity backpedaled as he gained on her, leaving the minigun straight in front her face. 

            She fired off one shot of the hot metal from her flak cannon and dissected him to pieces. "First Blood!" The announcer has said. She breathed hard as she felt like she was bleeding everywhere. "Ugh." She groaned in pain and grabbed her stomach as she jumped down where two medkits could be seen on either side of an opening to a hall. 

            Before running for the medkits she looked at her surroundings and nearly smiled. She knew this map, she had a match here once and there should be a shieldbelt behind a secret door. She saw how the bots open it and she should try it herself. 

            Fire zipped past her face and Trinity ran for the switch, past the large column that supported the top bridge, holding her stomach with her left hand as she held the flak cannon in the other. She ran up to the rectangular lamp and pressed it into the wall. She turned to the sliding door, with the shieldbelt and limped towards it as she heard two mechs fire rounds at one another.

            Trinity made it and equipped the shieldbelt as she saw someone run for the room she was in. She didn't recognize the mech in the blue armor but the door has closed on her before she made it. Trinity breathed out long breath and stood up with her flak cannon as she heard one of the mechs was decimated. Trinity opened the door and watch Silicon run past her to the hallway to her right. Trinity aimed and fired, ripping her to limbs, spraying the walls with her black oil. 

            The suit started to take affect as she felt her wounds knit back together, slowly, hurting her more than the minigun. 

            What Trinity didn't realize was that the mech in the blue was still alive and she was shooting at someone Trinity couldn't see because of the large column. Without hesitation, Trinity crouched and started to shoot at the blue mech by the name Enigma. Enigma burned her opponent before Trinity could finish her off and now Enigma went after her. 

            Trinity got to her feet and rolled to her left as a ball of plasma missed. Enigma came running into view, closer than Trinity expected, and she ripped Enigma to pieces. Her circuit's cracked as her limbs shook under pressure. Trinity went around the column and went for the lift in the far back corner, concealed by the wall. 

            Before Trinity reached the lift, Silicon jumped down in front her and pointed the shock rifle at Trinity's face. Trinity pushed Silicon back and fired a large ball of metal, hitting Silicon directly and scrambling her to smithereens. Another mech in red uniform jumped down and hit her in her stomach, which made Trinity jump back a few feet. 

            She looked up and pointed her flak cannon as Tensor fired a ball of metal that missed her but the pieces made Trinity fall to her knees. She watched Tensor aim at her and she rolled as another sphere missed her. She stood up to her feet and released shards of metal at him, pushing him back into the wall. Trinity walked towards him as she kept firing, destroying his metallic armor as he staggered at the force. His left arm flew from his body as Trinity kicked him in the chest, up against the wall and fired one last shot, turning him to circuit trash. "Killing Spree!" The announcer rang in her ear as she watched Tensor's body fall to the ground, lifeless.

            Trinity felt better when she has killed Tensor and proceeded towards the lift, feeling the wounds still healing, making her limp from time to time. She almost reached it as she heard a rocket was fired. Trinity turned her head and saw a missile heading for her. She rolled to her side and tried to identify the shooter but the mech was nowhere to be seen. She got to her feet and ran around the large column only to be splashed with dark oil as someone was just fragged. "Next!" She heard the male's voice and Trinity's blood boiled as she thought it was Tensor again.

            Trinity ran around and found someone in a colorless armor fire a rocket at her. Trinity dodged to her left, firing a ball of metal that missed him as he rolled away. It wasn't Tensor; it was someone else, Vector. Trinity carefully started to walk around the column, keeping a wide distance from it. She didn't see him and she didn't hear him and it tagged at her mind as she asked herself, where could he be? 

            Another rocket was released from behind of her and Trinity jumped and turned in the air, landing with a split as the rocket went above her head, exploding into a wall behind her. Trinity aimed and fired shards at him, before he shot another missile. He staggered back as Trinity jumped to her feet and released a ball of metal at him, turning him to potato smash. "That had to hurt." She said watching his limbs, dancing from wall to wall in the hallway. 

            This is more challenging than she imagined, she can't even get out of this central hall. Trinity tried for the lift again, feeling relief from her chest as her wounds were almost done healing. She rounded to her left in the tiny hallway and went up the lift.

            She ran towards the mechanical doors and was on the top of the same room she was in previously. She watched Vector, running on the small bridge and Trinity made a running jump and landed to his right. Before he turned to shoot at her, Trinity pointed the big gun at his torso and bulletined him with her shards of metal. His torso exploded as he screamed in his inhuman voice, as he was no more than recycled garbage. 

            Trinity dropped her almost empty flak cannon and picked the full flak cannon, Vector was holding. "He won't be needing it." She said to herself as ran down the hallway to her right as someone fired a ball of metal into the wall and the shards reached her armor. She tripped and fell to the bottom floor and felt frustrated how she couldn't leave this place. Trinity went for the lift as Cathode jumped down to pursue her and she ended up to be another victim to Trinity's big gun. 

            Trinity wiped of the sweat from her forehead. Vector jumped down on her shoulders, by surprise and pulled her down to the floor. She screamed as her flak cannon was thrown away towards the hallway. Trinity turned to the machine and kicked him in the face, pushing him off of her. Trinity scrambled to her feet and rolled as she picked up her flak cannon. She turned on her knee and aimed at Vector and fired off a good shot at him, decimating him to oily bits as he fired at her one last shot of the shock rifle. 

            The ball of plasma neutralized her shieldbelt and she felt how it took away her energy. Trinity got to her feet and decided to see if a new shieldbelt was spawned yet. It was quite some time since she equipped it, fighting off the mechs that wanted to taste her blood. 

            Trinity ran out of the hallway for the lamp that acted as a switch as Trinity was swapped off her feet. Trinity turned to find Vector running out of the hallway, as well, with a big gun that was the rocket launcher. Trinity fired the flak cannon which soon became her best buddy in this arena and decimated him before he fired off another. 

            Trinity felt exhausted a she heard the announcer's loud voice shatter the arena. "Rampage!" Trinity limped towards the switch as she heard Cathode jump down from the top floor, picking up the rocket launcher Vector dropped. Trinity rolled to her left, hiding behind the column as Cathode fired at her. 

            Trinity crouched and checked her ammunition and she had plenty to decimate this mech in anyway possible. She heard the footsteps of the inhuman bot and Trinity rolled into view, finding Cathode standing in front of her and within a blink of an eye, Cathode was no more than splattering chunks. 

            Trinity ignored the rocket launcher as she fired at the switch with her secondary fire, pushing it into the wall. The door opened and Trinity went in to equip herself with the shieldbelt. She was done within seconds as she dashed through the closing door and went into the tiny hallway and up the lift. 

            A shootout was heard but Trinity wasn't about to join it, she felt she had wounds again and it hurt like agony as they were knitting back together, slowly. Trinity ran to her right, now, avoiding the bloodshed in the central room. She ran past a dark hallway with two columns holding up the ceiling and through a door. She was running through a strange hallway that was part-bridge part-corridor. It was greatly lit and the walls were illuminating with silver. 

            She ran past an opening for a lift and jumped onto the mash to pick up the plasma rifle. She took it by its strap and wounded around her shoulder and jumped down between the floor and the mesh. 

            She was at the bottom floor where the lift rested and ammunition for her flak cannon. She loaded up and ran through the sliding doors and through hallways. She rounded to her right and found Tensor, running away from a shootout with a rocket launcher in hand. Trinity ran at him as she aimed and boiled him with her flak cannon and his limbs were toasted against the oval windows, showing the snow outside. 

            Pain ripped through Trinity's body and she fell to the ground, grabbing her abdomen with both of her hands as the suit was healing her. Trinity didn't feel like she was being cured, she felt like she was being killed. The pain let go of her and Trinity breathed heavily as the suit has done its job. Trinity made a sound of distress as she stood up with force and picked up her flak cannon. A little more and she will be finished with the match. 

            She needed rest, that's all, nothing more. She should have let her suit be recharged instead of walking with it in the hallways. She has learned her lesson and now it's time to continue. 

            Trinity ran out into the hallway as she saw bullets ram into the wall next to her leaving the wall sizzling. Trinity looked further down and noticed the room in front of her is the central room, once more. Trinity took a deep breath in as she ran forward and a body of a mech rammed into the wall in front of her. It was Tensor and his armor was gone in a replacement of his circuits dancing around.

            Trinity gripped her flak cannon harder as she went into the large room with the column and Silicon pummeled her with shards from her own flak cannon. Trinity backpedaled as the aggressive mech ran for her, firing with the secondary fire. Trinity returned fire with the metal but Silicon was too quick.

            Finally, Silicon was very close to Trinity and before Silicon fired off another shot, Trinity met her with the bits of metal into her torso. Silicon dropped to the floor and was finally dead, leaving behind a black painted wall of oil. Trinity ran through the pools of the remains of everyone who has died here and was about to escape until she heard someone fire at her. 

            Trinity turned around and saw nothing but the black painted wall. She knew someone shot at her but she wouldn't just walk away like that. She loved facing her opponents face to face. There she was, Cathode jumping from the second floor again and Trinity finished her off before she reached the ground. "Boom!" Trinity echoed through the hall and watched the mechanical pieces quit at their own ballet. 

            Instead of going up the lift again, Trinity decided to go up the ramp. She rounded to her left past the ammunition for the ripper and onto the top bridge of the large hall. She ignored the cries of the weapons as another shootout formed. It was always like this in this hall and she won't be coming here often if she will ever face in this map in the Last Man Standing. 

            Trinity passed the flak cannon stock and into the hallway to meet Vector with a ripper. She smiled as she ran at him as he backpedaled. She reached him in seconds and fired one good aim and every piece of metal went straight through him, chopping him to pieces. "Congratulations! You are the winner." The announcer said as she heard the echo of the word Dominating. Trinity raised her hands in the air with her best friend, the flak cannon, and screamed, "Let's Rock!"

            The crowd was wild when they all appeared in the stadium. "Trinity, Trinity, Trinity!" The crowd chanted her name and she finally smiled at the big crowd. Not that anyone knew but she felt that this was it. 

            "That was amazing! Trinity will be facing off with Xan next morning and the final showdown will begin. Congratulations Trinity!" Trinity bowed at the crowd as she spotted one of the posters say her favorite saying, "Let's Rock." 

            Trinity was walking down the hall of the Blue Bunker. She didn't know what to think. She did it; she has finally reached the top. The match with Xan was nearer than she thought. Her heart was filled with joy as she felt that she has won already. She forgot how hard the match was, she was too happy, too content to even complain about the pain. She has done it! She is the winner of the Ladder and soon of the Tournament. 

            She rounded a corner and walked up to the door leading to her team's dorm. She grabbed the knob to turn it as she was interrupted. 

            "Congratulations, Trish." Trinity turns around at Dessloch's voice, feeling like telling him everything about the match. She had so many things to tell him and finally she would. But she didn't tell him because when she turned around she found herself feeling downcast and confused. "Dess? What are you doing?" She asked, her voice breaking in fear as she noted the gun, Dessloch held, pointed at her heart. She looked at the men behind him in a strange uniform she only saw once.

            "I'm so sorry, Trinity." Dessloch said it with pity as his face was disappointed. "Although, you were right about one thing." Dessloch singled the men to get Trinity as her heart hit the floor. "I am a spy. But how you figured that out before I did is beyond me." The men grabbed Trinity, as she didn't fight back. She was too shocked to fight back. "But you were wrong about the other thing." Dessloch pointed his gun to the floor and sounding very brutal. "I never worked for Xan." The League towed her away into what Trinity called 'Hell.' 

(a/n): Oooh. A cliffy! Don't you love cliffhangers!?? Okay I know you don't but I have EVIL plans. Well tell me what you think. I bet none of you saw this coming. Will be updated soon.


	26. The Perfect Plan

(a/n): You all sound very disappointed. You hear that Dessloch. You traitor! I'm going to frag you myself when I'll play as Trinity! I'm going to get my whole blue gang against you, and I'll ask Matrix if he would want to join at kicking your A$$!!!!! Sorry Dessloch but the readers are right, you should be beat up!!!!!!!! Shame on you!!!! 

Dessloch: Yeah, yeah. I know you just can't resist me so keep on babbling. (Gets hit by my keyboard) Oww.

Lacrease: You are such a jerk, how could you do this to Trinity! How could you do this to me!

Dessloch: Your fic, not mine.

Lacrease: Oh you asked for it! All you fanfic writers! Kill DESSLOCH!!!!

Dessloch: You know you don't want them to do that.

Lacrease: Oh yes I do!

Dessloch: You are such a comedian.

Lacrease: I'm not joking, Dessloch. If they don't do it, I will!!!!!!

Dessloch: *sigh* Readers, don't listen to her, she's just babbling, that's all. You all know I'm the good guy, right? Right?

Lacrease: Wrong!

Dessloch: I'm outta here. 

Lacrease: I'm not done with you. Get back here! (Runs after him)

Dessloch: Don't forget to say thank you to the reviewers!

Lacrease: Oh, damn you Dessloch, I'll get you next time!!!!!!!!!! (Turns to her readers and mood swings) Hi, I would like to thank my reviewers. 

**_Daniel Wesley Rydell:_** Now you're talking, kill Dess, kill Dess, kill Dess. He deserves it big time. Lol. Thanks for reviewing and I guess you were pretty shocked but that was the plan. Not to worry, don't hate him that much yet; you don't know for sure what is going on. Besides, at least he didn't shoot her like in the dream. 

Dessloch: I told she was babbling.

Lacrease: Oh, but if you decide on beating him up in your fic, make sure Matrix does it.

Dessloch: Hey.

Lacrease: Hehehe.

**_Alex:_** Haha. Thanks. At least someone thinks positive about the ending. Thank you so much for your encouragements. I will continue this story, and I'm glad you are enjoying this. This story is my best work, yet. Well thanks a bunch.

**_shrtys-sk8er: _**Yeah he was a spy. But don't worry everything is revealed in this chapter and everything will start to make sense.

Dessloch: I told you I'm the good guy.

Lacrease: Dess?

Dessloch: Yeah?

Lacrease: Zip it.

**_Fun: _**I'm so sorry Fun. I know how you feel but don't feel blue just yet. Everything will turn out for the better. Just keep on reading and you will be the happiest reader because of the beautiful ending.

Dessloch: Aha! Someone loves me. Hahaha.

Lacrease: Dess?

Dessloch: Never mind.

**_demon_child_100: _**Thank you. That was some compliment. I didn't know if I was doing good at drama in this story, but seems that I'm doing better than I used to. Thank you so much, I tried my best to put as much emotion as I could in this story.

**_Slash the Ironman: _**Phew, I'm still alive. Thanks for not sending Fang. Well because you mentioned the words **dispatch** and **assassins **in one sentence I decided to update as soon as possible. So you STILL have no reason to kill me. Anyway, I'm glad you are enjoying this story. I'm doing my best.

Dessloch: Kill her, kill her, kill her! Send them, send the assassins!

Lacrease: Dess, you're a dead man.

Dessloch: You say that everyday.

  

Now onto the story. Enjoy!!!

Dessloch: I'm not enjoying this one bit.

Lacrease: I never said anything about the characters enjoying this.

Dessloch: When does my contract expire?

Lacrease: Hmm. In a decade or so.

Dessloch: ARRRR!

Lacrease: (whispering) Enjoy.

Chapter26: The Perfect Plan

            Trinity was sitting in one of the energized cells, alone. She was shocked, scared, confused and angry. She didn't know what to think. How could Dessloch do this to her? After all they went through, all those nights of talking and encouragements were nothing but lies. He was a spy after all, no matter how much she wanted to deny it he was still a spy. She was right all along but he was not a spy for Xan, he was spying for the United Legions or as she knew it, the League.

            She had no words as thoughts ripped at her mind so fast that she couldn't bulletin them fast enough. All those days when he saved her, all those nights when he encouraged her was nothing more but to gain her trust. But why? Couldn't he have done it earlier? Why do this now, why get to know her first and than break it all away. Was it because he wanted to hurt her? Trinity shook her head in denial but she knew it won't help.

            Trinity looked at her hands as tears went down her cheeks. She didn't force them back; she just let everything out as she cried into her knees, sitting on the floor. Memories flashed by her mind as she cried more and more. The first time she met Dessloch and refused him to be in jail and welcomed him to her team. 

            She closed her eyes when she remembered when Dessloch saved her from the Skraaj, killing her slowly. How she was thrown from room to room and there he was, Dessloch with a gun, saving her, caring for her. A picture came into her mind when she has stabbed him, believing he was a spy and he didn't do anything about it but just walk away. 

            The talk in the park about not competing in the tournament, how he loved her and cared for her. She started to sob louder, letting out all of her distress and sorrow. She has gone through so much, the loss of her father, the loss of her friend, Zack and finally reunited with him. Then Dessloch, he has hurt her heart the most. She thought she loved him. LOVED him, not liked him. She thought she was in love, a love so pure and sweet. A love she thought she would never have.

            And then there he was, pointing a gun straight at her heart, her heart that has been completely given to him without hesitation or guilt. She has surrendered to him without a doubt; she thought she was happy and that all will be fine. 

            But now, she won't even be fighting Xan. Everything was ripped from her at that moment. All her dreams of avenging her father faltered, her love has vanished, and her determination was destroyed. All these years training for a day that she thought would come has been all wasted just to go into prison. What was worse was that the League knew who she was, and now Trinity is no more.

            She still had her suit and mask but why else would they arrest her. Dessloch, also, knew who she was because he found out on the day he saved her from that monster. Trinity has nothing to live for anymore. She just needed one more day and she would face Xan, but she wasn't fast enough. No matter how bad she wanted it, she couldn't freeze time because the time is untouchable. 

            Now she wonders what's going on in the tournament. Will Malcolm fight Xan will Malcolm win? Now she couldn't do nothing but pray for Malcolm to win. 

            Trinity never saw this coming, she is still shocked that actually Dessloch did this to her. Dessloch, the man she loved with all her heart has betrayed her and she doesn't know if she would be able to forgive him for all the lies she endured from him and the pain he has given her. She felt worse than getting shot by a minigun. Her body didn't hurt, her heart did. Her heart was drowning in its tears, the heart that was destroyed so long ago, and redeemed back to life only to be crushed under its own doubt. 

            Trinity was, also, taken back how Zack wasn't there. There to see Dessloch's face and ask what on Earth was he doing. She believed in Zack to always be there for her, but not even Superman is there all the time, and for Trinity, Zack was Superman. She loved him like a brother or a father, like family, and was almost certain that he will be there to save her when she needs him. But she was wrong, Zack wasn't there, Zack probably doesn't even know.

            Trinity didn't know what the future holds but she won't be hoping for anything. She just wants to be left alone forever. She didn't want to see another human being anymore; she just wanted to be left alone. Trinity dug her face into her knees that she was hugging and fell into the abyss of endless nightmares.

            "Xan, we have a situation." Kira said next morning as she came in with file reports in one of her hands as a coffee in her other. "What's the matter, I'm busy. I'm fighting Trinity this morning. Are the traps set?" He asked her as he was checking his suit. "You won't be needing them." She said as she dropped the files onto his desk.

            "I appreciate that you feel so confident in me, but Trinity's suit if far more superior." Kira sat in the chair with a very calm expression as always. "You are not fighting Trinity." She checked out her nails and took out a file from her purse. "What are you talking about, she has won the ladder." "Yes and she, also, got herself arrested." Xan froze and stopped what he was doing. After a minute he shot a look at her. "What do you mean she got herself arrested? The Liandri troops got her?" 

            Kira shook her head, as she didn't even look at him. "No, the United Legions arrested her yesterday after the match." "What!? The League?  But that is horrible, I can't do anything to her if she's in their custody, but why did they arrest her?" Kira quit her filing and looked at Xan with a dumb expression. "It was you who told the Liandri to arrest her." 

            Xan banged on the table with his fist and it jumped. "I only told the Liandri to arrest her." Kira was very tranquil and didn't much care about Xan's banging. "The League has access to every radio wave signal, they probably caught your order." Xan growled as he turned around in anger. "I should have secured the line." He said quietly and Kira nodded. "Yes, you should have."

            Xan turned around and looked at Kira who was very calm. "Well, for the better, I guess. Call Malcolm; say that he is the runner up winner and that he should be prepared. Postpone the tournament for two hours. Well, I guess this is a goodbye to Trinity. Maybe I'll pay her visit after this is over." Kira smiled at Xan's words. "Well the League has done my dirty work themselves I guess I won't be needing the traps. But just in case, you and Matrix know how to operate this, am I correct?" Kira nodded in response. 

            "Thank you, Kira you have been very helpful throughout this year. Well I must be going, wish me luck Kira." Xan walked towards the exit. "You won't be needing luck, Xan. You are the true winner and no one can defeat you." Kira responded and went back to filing her nails and Xan looked back at her. "Thank you, Kira." He said and went away. "You're welcomed." Kira mumbled as her attention concentrated on her nails.

            Trinity was awaked by a guard who called out her name. Trinity looked up towards the guard, as she was partially asleep. "Are you Trinity?" The guard asked her and Trinity nodded, feeling the dried up tears on her cheek. "You have a visitor." Trinity suddenly felt completely awake at the guard's voice and wondered who could it be. She thought it was Zack and she was kind of starting to hope it was Zack. 

            Trinity's heart started to burn with anger as she watched the man she loved and now hates come into view. "You." She whispered her word as harshly as she could. She felt like a wolf, ready to strike at him. Dessloch thanked the guard as he opened her cell and Dessloch went in. He waited for the guard to close the door and walk away before he came up to Trinity.

            "Trinity, we need to talk." He said, coming up to her but she was up on her feet and backed away into the back wall. "Stay away from me." She hissed at him as she felt anger was releasing from her and if he would make one step forward, she would rip him to pieces.

            Unfortunately for her he didn't make a step forward so she didn't lunge at him, as she wanted to. "Trinity, I know what you thinking." "No you don't!" She spit back as she was ready to kill him on the spot. "I had faith in you and you have betrayed and lied to me. How could you ever forgive yourself!?" She screamed her words out and Dessloch didn't move as he looked to the floor. "You are right Trinity, I would never forgive myself, that is why I'm hoping you will forgive me yourself someday."

            Trinity nearly shrieked at those words. "Don't even count on it, Dessloch. I will never forgive you so don't you go hoping, because there is no hope or fate!" Dessloch didn't even blink at her as he stood there with no expression and Trinity's blood was boiling as she knotted her fists.

            "Out of all the people in the world, it had to be you. Why? Couldn't you let me run? Couldn't you let me escape?" She whispered her words but remembered that this man was never in love with her. It was all an act, an act to wheel her out, an act to gain her trust. She gritted her teeth at how she has been used. She was broken and this man has stepped over the line.

            "It had to be done, Trinity." He said, calmly, reminding her of how Zack said the same thing to Dessloch at the infirmary. She shrieked and lunged at him. He caught both of her hands before she could blink an eye and started to resist. "Let go of ME!" She screamed as she pulled at different directions, shrieking with agony at how this man still touched her. 

            "Trinity, listen to me." She felt his grip tighten and Trinity couldn't believe what was happening. He was hurting her, he has hurt her heart and he came to watch her suffer physically. She wouldn't take this she won't allow this. Trinity shrieked again and pulled back and wounded a knee in his groin. Dessloch let go off her and she swung a punch at his face and he fell against the energized bars. He screamed as the bars burned his back and fell to his knees.

            She felt better when she heard him scream, the man that has hurt her, the man that has killed her spirit will suffer for this. Trinity took his shoulders and tried to hit him with her knee but he caught it and pushed it back. He got up and rushed at her, pinning her against the wall with his strong body. "Trinity, listen to me!" She knew his temper has burst and she didn't care as she tried to resist him but he was too strong. 

            She shrieked again and Dessloch covered her mouth with his hand. She was outraged by this and bit his hand, hard, tasting his blood which tasted so sweet. Dessloch took his hand away and pulled back to punch her. Trinity's eyes widened as she watched him swung a punch at her and closed her eyes. But she never felt the hit she didn't feel anything as she dropped to floor. 

            She opened her eyes and saw Dessloch standing, looking through the bars. He never hit her, he didn't have it in him and Trinity didn't know what to say. She was expecting him to kill her in here. "I'm sorry, Trish." He said it with his voice very low. He looked at her and she could have sworn that she saw a tear run down his cheek as he watched her. "I shouldn't have come here." He put something on the bed and called for the guard. "I brought you, something. Hope you will change your mind." He said. "I never wanted to hurt you, Trish." He looked at her.

            The guard came in and opened the cell and Dessloch stepped out. "Goodbye, Trish. I'll see you around." He left Trinity, sitting against a wall. Trinity took a look at what he has left and it was a medallion. She crawled towards it and took it with her shaky hands. It was the Blood Reavers medallion she has won for the first place, with her name engraved on the bottom. A tear went down her face as she brought the medallion close to her heart and wept. 

            Time past and Trinity didn't know how much. She didn't care since it didn't matter anymore. Malcolm was probably facing Xan. She was speechless. She was drowning in her own pool of doubt. She didn't know what to think. Was Dessloch being sincere, or he just didn't want her to be against him. She didn't know and she doesn't know want to think about it.

            She was so lost and confused that she felt like a child. A child she has been. She felt like a kid she was before, dreaming of the same thing.

            _Trinity was in the dark, dimming in the forest as she walked through, feeling lost. "Where am I?" She asked herself as she looked around. "Zack?" She asked as she looked around feeling completely hopeless. And she was hopeless because she never did have hope, to her hope doesn't exist; it is something a man made up to make himself feel better._

_            Trinity walked through the woods, following the moon's lit path. Her life was cursed. Trinity was cursed herself and she soon started to believe it. How else would you describe it? Long ago, she would have said this was a coincidence but today she would say that she has been cursed. She can't quite explain it._

_            "I have always been alone." She whispered to herself and fell to her knees, tired from walking from such a long way. _

_            "Tanya, Tanya!" A voice called out and Trinity jumped to her feet. She whipped her head back and forth, trying to look through the wilderness. "Zack?" She asked as she looked around, seeing no one through the mist._

_            "Dada?" Trinity looked at the child who was running through the woods as she looked in all directions. "Dada, it's not funny anymore!" The little girl wailed as she called for her father again. Trinity's heart almost died when she watched the little blackhead with bright blue sapphire eyes drop to the floor. The little girl hugged her knees and began to cry._

_            Trinity started to walk towards her but noticed someone come up to her and tears dripped down her face to the ground. "Father?" She whispered the word as she watched him look at the girl. "Tanya." He called out to the little girl and the girl jumped into his arms. "Dada!" She screamed in happiness. "Why are you crying?" He asked her as he took her chin. "I thought you left me." The little girl innocently said as she hugged her father._

_            "Now why would I do that?" Her father asked the girl as he put her down and wiped her tears away. Trinity closed her eyes. "Because you have a tournament to fight." Trinity simply said. "Look at this, honey. Do you know what this is?" He took out a sapphire and showed it to the little girl. Trinity's hand went up to her neck as she touched the necklace that had her sapphire on it._

_            "A diamond?" The girl asked, staring at the beauty of it. Her father chuckled and crouched next to her as Trinity felt her knees go weak. "No, crystal-eyes." Trinity wiped her tears away at his saying. "It's your birthstone, sapphire." The girl was mesmerized as she was given the pretty thing. "What's a birthstone?" She looked up at her father with curious eyes, and Trinity fell to the floor, watching the two. _

_            "A birthstone is a stone that represents your time of birth." Her father said and picked up the little girl. "Oooohhh." The little girl trailed off as she watched. Trinity noticed how her father was uneasy. He didn't have a happy expression when the little girl didn't look. "Don't go, father." She whispered._

_            "Honey, I want you to take this with you." Trinity closed her eyes as the father put the girl down. "Always carry it with you, understand. It will remind you of me." Trinity grabbed her stone and tears went down her face, as she didn't want to hear the rest. "But daddy, I see you everyday. Why do I need such thing?" But the girl's father was gone. Trinity's heart was torn apart, hearing the cries of the girl. _

            Trinity looked away and noticed her father walking away. "Don't you run away from me!" Trinity ran towards her father and with a blink of an eye, he was gone. "Father?" She asked as she dropped to her knees. "Father!" She screamed for him and was swallowed by the enigma.   

            Trinity woke up and thought it was just a dream. A dream she still remembered from when her father disappeared from her life forever. "Trinity, it is time." She looked up at a strange man. "Time?" She asked with confusion and the cell was opened as two mercenaries towed her out of the cell.

            "Good morning, Trinity. I am Carlton Gear and I'm in charge of the prisoner system here at the United Legions. You are arrested for some reasons do not get us wrong. So we are here to discuss those reasons and be as flexible as possible. This is not an interrogation more of like a friendly chat of why you have been arrested. If there is any problem you will have time to discuss that as well but we will not waste any time and I will get straight to the point." Trinity listened to Gear as she was seated in front of the desk, opposite of him. The two mercenaries stood behind her and she could feel their presence.

            "The first and main reason you are under arrest is that you are Tanya Menace. You have illegally hacked into the Liandri files and concealed your face when you have joined the Unreal Tournament." Trinity closed her eyes, as she couldn't believe that the League knew it all along. So why didn't they tell Xan?  

            "But due to unsure ness, we have not let this information out and decided to dig in further." Gear opened up a few files which contained the pictures of her home. Trinity saw that he was looking at the picture of the secret room where she found her suit. "All the evidence point to you, and instead of making the Liandri suspicious, knowing they will hold you there for their own will, we decided to make this covert."

            Trinity couldn't believe it. They didn't tell Xan, Xan doesn't have a clue to why she was here. "Another reason you are arrested for is that you are wanted by the Liandri Corp." His voice was even, smooth, and cold as Trinity's heart felt. "You seemed to be guilty of many charges, by breaking the Unreal Tournament laws, visiting the Red Bunker, all that crap they see as crime." He chuckled a little and Trinity's jaw almost dropped but she forced it close.

            "The last reason you are guilty is for the murder of one of the Liandri's soldiers who was involved in a shootout." The man closed the files and folded his hands on top of them. Trinity didn't look at his eyes. She didn't know what to say. "But since you are part of a contract signed by the Liandri leader we can't do anything about it. This contract states that if the leader of a certain group wins the tournament becomes a free individual, free from charge." He took out the papers Trinity recognized. She and Xan signed those papers that say that if she wins the tournament the team will be freed individuals.

            "And since you are part of the 'Blood Reavers' you still have a shot at the tournament and gain your freedom as this contract states." Trinity looked up at him, as she was shocked. She understood what he was saying. But who has given him the contract and the files. "How did you get the files?" She asked, too shocked to say anything else. She watched the man smile and look past her. "A very old friend of the United Legions has paid a visit after your arrest, giving us the proof you need to get out of here."

            A mercenary un-cuffed her and Trinity turned around to see the man that has never let her down before. "Zack!" She said his name with joy as she threw her arms around him. Zack hugged her back and she felt how he kissed her on her forehead. "Now, you two. Get out of here before my boss gets here." The man said and Trinity thought he was an old buddy of Zack. "Thanks, Carl, we will." Zack said and they both went away into the hallways.

            The cars and people zipped by fast as the two sat in the vehicle, Zack driving and concentrating on the road. "Thank you." Trinity said it finally, aware that this is real. She saw Zack smiled but he didn't look at her. His eyes stuck to the terrain, watching every movement. Trinity smiled and sat back in the comfortable seat, wondering does she want to know how all of this happened. Then a silent voice told her that she should ask.

            Trinity sat up and looked at Zack. "Zack? I need to ask you something." Zack nodded to show that he was listening. "How did you know I was arrested?" She leaned on one side but Zack stayed where he was. He sighed and said, "Dessloch called the League to get you, that's how I know. It was part of a plan, Tanya. A plan to make sure you fight a fair match." Trinity felt different emotions as he said his words. She felt a little betrayed and, also, felt happy that she is still fighting Xan. 

            "When I came to this tournament." Zack continued as he made a turn on the streets. "The League almost was as happy as Xan. So they have given me an assignment, telling me if I want to free myself from the League and the Liandri that I should do it." Zack paused for Trinity to break everything down and understand it. "The assignment was simple, but I didn't know if I had the guts to do it. I had to seek out someone by the name Dessloch and tell him that if he catches Trinity for them, as an inside job, than he will be bought from the Liandri and freed."

            Trinity stared at him as she heard him say that. "At that time, I didn't know who was Dessloch or Trinity but certainly the League did. They decided they wouldn't tell me, and when I found out about that Dessloch was Luther and you were Tanya, I didn't tell Luther anything. I didn't want anything happening to you because I know what you have gone through.

            "But now, the tournament started and you will fight Xan. As being a member of the Red Team with Kira watching me all the time I've learned that Xan has something up his sleeve. I didn't like what he was planning and I was afraid for you. Dessloch wasn't stupid, either. He's been in this tournament for years, he already had a clue of what's going on, that's why nobody wanted you to go."

            Trinity was confused and lost. So much information that still doesn't make sense and Zack still didn't get to the point. "So, why arrest me?" She asked. This time Zack looked at her but only for a minute. "If you were arrested, Xan would postpone the tournament, and he did. For two hours, I've heard. He will be against Malcolm. He wouldn't be needing setting any traps for Malcolm because Xan is sure he is going to win." Trinity was catching on and she already knew what he is going to say.

            "So what we will do is exchange you with Malcolm at the Lift Hallway and when they call out Malcolm's name you get on the stage. Don't listen to anyone just press the button and fight with him." Trinity smiled and wanted to hug Zack for such a brilliant plan. "But I'll need to make sure Xan's pets didn't turn on the traps again, so I have to go into his office and make sure the traps will be off." Trinity looked at him with surprise. "But couldn't you shut them down when I would be fighting him by default?"

            She watched Zack shake his head. "No, the security would be tight, but now that you would make your performance, the Liandri troops will be rushing at you, so security will be light. You get my drift?" She nodded and sat back as she took a deep breath in. "Why did it have to be Dessloch to this to me?" Zack looked at her. "Because he was given the assignment, not me. My role was to get you out, because I have friends in high places AND because I can get out of the Liandri building."

            "So basically Dessloch is innocent, he's not a spy?" Trinity sounded like a child. She has hurt him pretty bad this morning, accusing him of such terrible things. Will he ever forgive her? "I need to go apologize." Trinity said to Zack and Zack shot a look at her. "What for?" "He visited me today, saying sorry and I didn't accept it." Trinity lowered his head in shame. "Wait a minute." Zack said. "He wasn't supposed to meet you. He can't exit the Liandri building because he is on the Blue Team."

            Trinity was a speechless. Zack was right. "He must have sneaked out like he tried long time ago." Zack nodded in agreement. "Probably but if he was caught, he'll be in a lot of trouble." Trinity wanted to hide. He risked his life, freedom, and rank just to say sorry to here. Trinity felt terrible for pushing him out while he was apologizing. Dessloch didn't apologize a lot.

            Trinity looked at Zack again as a thought shut up in her head. "Hold up a second. If criminals are not allowed to leave, how did you get here?" Zack nodded. "I'm on the Red Team. 'Supposedly' there are no criminals on the Red Team. So I got out. Speaking of criminals, by the way." Zack parked the car in front of the Liandri building. "Since the League knows that you are Tanya Menace, you are not allowed to be the champion of the tournament." 

            Trinity looked at him with a shocked expression. "What?" She asked as she refused to hear of what he said earlier. "That's the rule, Tanya, you can't change it. As long as you get a chance to kill Xan, you should be grateful." Zack got of the car but Trinity stayed. She watched Zack come around his vehicle and open her door. "Come on, Tanya." He said, taking her hands and pulling her out of the car. "You have a tournament to fight."

            The two of them rushed to the Lift Hallway as Visor tried to stop them but it was too late. The glass doors were opened automatically and Trinity didn't ask why, she thought it was part of the plan. They ran to the lift and went up to a hallway were Malcolm stood. "About time you showed up." Malcolm said as he came up to the both of them. "Well, sweetie, go kick his ass." Trinity smiled and nodded. "Right."

            "Trinity, I have to go now." Zack said and hugged her. "I need to make sure everything is fine." Before he ran away, Trinity grabbed his hand. "Matrix will be there with Kira, you can't handle them alone." Zack smiled and cupped her face. "Don't worry I made a promise to that old scrap-metal and what about Kira? What she gonna do? Scratch me to death?" Trinity wanted to laugh but she loved him too much to risk his life. She hugged him. "Be careful." She whispered under her breath and Zack nodded. "I will, now go out there and kick some ass."

            Zack went down the lift with Malcolm and Trinity turned to the lift that will take her up to stadium. The announcer has started. "Everyone, welcome to the Unreal Tournament. Today is the day we all been waiting for. Finally the Ladder Champion will fight Xan Kriegor in a bloody battle that will be picked out randomly." She heard people cheer. "Unfortunately, Trinity of the Blood Reavers will not be joining us today or any other day due to many reasons. She is out of the tournament. The next runner up will take her place."

            The crowd booed and she could almost imagine them throwing food at the announcer. She smiled at the thought as she wished it would really happen. "Everyone, please welcome Xan Kriegor." The crowd was dead quiet when she could feel how heavy Xan is, she felt how he walked each step to the center, she heard his metallic screech, he was no longer human as she thought.

            "The runner up is Malcolm!" She heard the crowd cheer and Trinity was scared a little. She started to come up to the lift and it took her up to the stadium. Trinity faced the roaring chamber that soon became quiet. "Why!? Why it's Trinity." The announcer said as she slowly came up to the middle and Xan seemed to stare at her. "You." He said and Trinity nodded. "Yes, me." She said and looked at the crowd. "Who are you?" Xan asked her and Trinity was tired of hiding. She will rip this man apart and she will make sure he would know whom she is.

            "My name is Tanya Menace." Trinity took off her mask and glasses as everyone gasped and the announcer lost conciseness. "You have killed my father and for that, I shall kill you." 

(a/n): Another cliffy. Sorry about this but as you see everything is turning around. So do you think different of Dessloch now? What do you think of Zack? Do you think Trinity did the right thing or a stupid thing? What will happen next? Find out. Will be updated soon.

Don't worry Fun! It will be great! Trust me!!!!

And Slash, don't you dare dispatch them! I've done my work! Please! Spare me!


	27. Vengeance For Blood Part I

**(a/n): Okay, yesterday Dessloch saved me from Matrix before he blew me up to smithereens in the Eternal Caves. I decided to thank him by not bashing him anymore. You can't believe how he replied. Dessloch: "You're welcome, Lacrease. But I don't know how I didn't manage to blow you up with Matrix or push you into lava." Now what should I do? I think I should change the friendly fire to 100 and pick out the Facing Worlds. I'll be the sniper and I'll tell him to get the flag and I'll kill him! So many headshots, hehehe. Or how about the Redeemer? What do you think?**

**Dessloch: I think it's horrible.**

**Lacrease: Well I don't care wha—**

Dessloch: You promised. 

**Lacrease: Dammit, I did.**

**Here are many thanks and hugs to all of my reviewers. If you don't see your review in the review link, that does not mean I didn't get it. I got each review in my mailbox and I'm one happy writer! Oh but if you did review and I didn't thank you, then that means I didn't get it. Sometimes I don't get every review in the mailbox. **

**One last thing, I'm sorry for not updating for quite some time but I had a very important exam I had to study for. Now I'm finally free from school, so I will be using the free time for this story. But I don't want to rush this because it's almost finished. I'm trying to make the last chapters as best as possible.**

**_Fun:_** Haha. You are too much Fun. Thank you so much. Yeah, I guess there is no fooling you; I've got to admit that you are great. I love how you believe in Dessloch and Trinity. That was what I wanted. Like I said Fun, you will LOVE the ending. But it's so near, I can't believe it. But don't worry. All good things must come to an end.

**_Slash the Ironman: _**Phew, I'm safe for good. Thanks. It's so generous of you, you know. I don't know how to thank you. Oh yeah, send the assassins to kill Dess if I won't update. If I won't be updating, it's cause of him. I'm still quite angry with him about that statement. I am keeping my eye on him. Lol. I'm glad you're enjoying this. And about Dess…again…I think you'll change your mind about him. He's not as bad as he seems, you'll see why. Oh and by the way, I did get your original review. It just seems the net is having some problems. And about the little talk between Fang and Talon. I have only one thing to say: Go, Talon. Kill him!!!!!!

**_shrtys-sk8er: _**Yeah, imagine. All of that just for a fair match. But if you think about it, its not just for a fair match, its for Trinity's life. You'll see what I mean. Xan wanted to cheat and the outcome would have been very ugly. If he succeeds, Trish dies. The problem is, Dessloch knows that and he only had one choice left, as traitorous as it seems. Anyway, once upon a time, long ago in a far away land, you told me you think the match with Trinity vs. Xan will be interesting, well guess, what? The final showdown is here!

**_Alex: _**Hahaha. Kill Dessloch? Hmm. You hear that Dess? Beware! Thanks for the review. I'm happy that you think this is a good story. I do my best. So, you want to hear more of Lauren? I'll see what I can do. But I don't promise much. The ending is very near. Trinity vs. Xan match, IS HERE!!!!!!

**_Daniel Wesley Rydell: _**Yeah, I know you knew he was a good guy after all. Lol. Anyway, if Dess is going to serve ice cream he better give it to me for free. Oh by the way, Dess? That will be a vanilla ice cream, and you know those Dove little ice cream thingies? Yeah, Zack is asking for one, too.

Dessloch: You promised.

Lacrease (smiles and mood swings): What will it be Dess, vanilla or chocolate?

Dessloch: That's better.

**Okay, everyone one last IMPORTANT notice. **

**Ya'll know what I'm going to say, don't you?**

**Well okay, Enjoy!**

Chapter27: Vengeance For Blood Part I

            Trinity slammed down on the button, hard. She and Xan disappeared as the Liandri Troops rushed at her but were too late, both appearing in the Hyper Space; the place where her father has died twenty years ago. 

            There was no countdown as the fight began right away when her eyes scanned the inner of the station. "I'm going to bury you next to your father, Menace." She heard Xan hiss through her earpiece and he sounded as though he meant it. Trinity didn't really care about his babbling, but she couldn't help herself but to answer back. "It is you who will fall into my father's grave for you have stood upon it." Xan chuckled as she jumped down from the ramp to get the minigun. "Big words for someone so small." 

            Grabbing the minigun, Trinity felt outraged how he pictured her but she kept her cool. It is better for her if he thought like that. "Bad choices for someone so blind." She responded as she loaded her weapon and checked to see if it's full of ammunition. "And yet I still made choices, blindfolded." Trinity ignored what he said as she ran up the ramp and into an illuminating hallway of lights, full of health vials, to boost her energy. She ran up to an opening and saw a shield belt lying there. 

            Just when she was about to step into the opening, an extinguished sound made her head whip up into the darkness as she watched two rockets heading straight for her. Without thinking, acting on reflex, Trinity dodged to her left, rolling as far as she good and stopped with a crouch. 

            Trinity's heart skipped a beat as she heard the loud thump and Xan was at the opening with lightning running through his suit. _Oh no…_ Trinity thought as she tightened her grip and stood up to her feet. "You know—" Xan started as he watched the energy flow down his arms. "—This brings back memories, like a déjà vu, do you not agree?" Xan chuckled and Trinity was about to blow up from his choice of words, choice of topics, everything about him she just hated. She could not wait to put an end to all of this; she just cannot live through this anymore.

            Trinity raised her minigun at her eyelevel to aim but she didn't fire. She watched Xan spin very slowly, with his hands up in the air. "Look around you, Trinity. You have dug your own grave and all that is left is to bury it." Xan looked at her and went for his launcher. "Now, DIE!!!!" The homing missile was fired straight at Trinity as Xan backpedaled. Without hesitation Trinity turned and ran out of the long, round hallway and quickly up the ramp into an outside space. The rocket blasted against the wall, covering the exit. 

            Trinity gritted her teeth as she stood up from the crouch and looked back at the opening. "For all the pain you've given me, Xan. You will pay for my father's death." "I am a rich man, Trinity. I would not mind." Trinity pushed herself from the platform and jumped to the next bridge, feeling enraged. She gripped her minigun harder as she landed and ran into the other end. She took a left and ran to take the invisibility power up and equipped it. Not before long when she heard loud noises shake the whole place under her feet and Xan emerged from the left in front of her with a flak cannon. Trinity held her breath as she took a knee and took a good aim at him. He looked at her direction, probably wondering where is the power up. He looked outside and back at the place she's standing at and ran outside.

            An evil smile ran up Trinity's face as she followed him outside. Through the blackness of the space, Xan was floating to the other bridge when she stepped her foot outside. He's faster than she would expect but when she had him right there, it was a moment to shoot. Trinity let her weapon rip, creating holes in Xan's shield belt and soon his back before he spun to look at her face. Flak was unleashed from his weapon but missed her because of her invisibility. Trinity continued firing, her body shaking back and forth as she controlled her footing and Xan's head was turned to mush after Trinity unloaded the whole clip.

            "First Blood!" The announcer called out and Trinity dropped her empty weapon and jumped onto the rocket launcher platform, picking up the weapon and loading the rounds in. A lethal bean cut through her right shoulder, making her drop the heavy weapon. "Ah." Trinity gasped out, grabbing her wound. She watched Xan run around the round platform in front of her as he fired another beam, into her ankle that made her trip. Trinity hissed at the pain as she fell to her knees. 

            She quickly reached for the rocket launcher with her left hand and lied down against the floor of the high platform and spotted Xan push off into the low gravity air. Trinity took a careful aim and fired a homing missile at the bastard. Xan fired another shot before he was shot out to space, hitting her into the belt, where the power up was held. She screamed as she felt electrocuted and tossed away the broken mechanism. "Dammit." She whispered and watched Xan get sucked up by space. "AHHHHHHHHHH!"

            Trinity looked away as his body floated in space, frozen. "I'm going to drink your blood!" Xan's voice boomed into her earpiece and Trinity was impressed. "Don't choke yourself." Trinity smiled at the thought as she heard Xan roar with anger. 

            Trinity took a deep breath and got up to her feet and felt pain rip through her left ankle. She gritted her teeth as she struggled to keep on her feet. Suddenly Trinity forgot all about her pain as she spotted a new shield belt was respawned beneath the round platform at the opening. She smiled and was ready to glide through space into the opening until she saw Xan, through the open oval window, making his way towards the belt.

            "Oh no you don't." Trinity quietly whispered as she turned to her right and jumped sideways, towards the opening, loading up her weapon. She released three rockets into the window to the right of the opening before she landed onto the platform. The rockets flew into the opening at the same time she landed near the belt. The place shook at the impact of the missiles and a cry was swallowed by the howl of the explosion. She felt power run up to her as she felt boosted and powerful from the equipped shield belt. 

            Trinity checked her ammunition and thought she had plenty of ammo to nail that useless metal to bits and pieces. Trinity screamed as she fired the rocket launcher at Xan and he seemed to be running from side to side. Trinity's eyes widened, when she watched him run straight at her with a flak cannon in hand. Trinity jerked back when a ball of metal was shot her way and it dissolved to deadly pieces. Flak flew all around, cutting through her flesh at an instance of the touch. Trinity backpedaled, firing her rocket launcher but it seemed useless. All that was seen was smoke and the air smelled burned as the missiles missed Xan completely. Xan was much faster than her weapon's fire, she needs something faster, something that hits the flesh instantly, the minigun. Trinity kicked off the ramp as she jumped backwards, fired of two more rockets. Leaving a steamed trail behind, which created havoc and one of the lights crashed down and fire came up as Trinity landed on her back near a ramp leading down. 

            Air escaped her fast as she breathed hard, uncontrollably. She didn't know if she should get up, she didn't have it in her. Metal shrieked against her ears as the debris was pushed in different directions and Xan emerged from the flaming hallway. Slowly walking towards her, his armor looking perfectly knew as if it was untouched. Trinity quickly rolled backwards and got onto her feet and her eyes fell on the flashing red light on her rocket launcher telling her she is almost out of ammo. 

            Trinity decided to conserve her ammunition and backed off, aiming carefully for Xan, ready to fire another homing missile. She watched Xan shake off debris from his shoulders and his weapon. Fire behind swallowed the place, blazes falling onto his suit. She kept walking back as Xan looked at her and she could feel that he was smiling. Before Trinity could blink, Xan raised his flak cannon straight at her and shot out multiple of flaks. Trinity screamed as the metal made her fall back next to some medkits. Trinity rolled behind the large column and set her back against it as she breathed hard, looking at the portal in front of her. 

            "What's the matter, Trinity?" She heard Xan chuckle through the flaming fire and crackling noises from the broken lights as she grabbed her wound. "Too much iron in your blood?" Trinity pushed her knees closer to her body when she heard Xan fire with his flak cannon and the top lights fell right next to her. Trinity's eyes widened, as she felt trapped in a forsaken realm.

            Zack made his way to the upper levels, running as fast as his feet can take him. "Stop!" A helpless guard cried out in the loud siren and Zack finished him off with his plasma gun, melting him to pieces. "Come on." Zack ran faster and made a dash into the elevator before it closed. Against the floor, Zack vaporized the guards in it and stood up as fast as lightening as the doors closed completely. Zack slammed down the button that will take him to Xan's office and he waited, knowing that Tanya doesn't have time. 

            The lights went out and the elevator stopped between floor 72nd and 73rd. "I had a feeling this would happen." Zack said as he punched out the escape door at the ceiling that leads to the shaft. He grabbed the edges and pushed himself up into the shaft. Zack secured his black gloves and started to climb the cable to the 75th floor. 

            Trinity fell through the floor, Xan blasted with his rocket launcher and fell to a lower level. She rolled out of view, grabbing the plasma gun next to her and got to her feet as she ran out of the hallway and to the left. The first floor shook, as Trinity's heart skipped a bit. She made a running dash, through the fire and into the round hallway. 

            Trinity felt like she was still in pieces. She felt dead after what Xan did to her and now he seems more powerful than ever. She doesn't know what's going, but Xan got stronger since the beginning of the match and he was hunting her like a hawk. Trinity ran through the hallway and stopped in her tracks as he was standing in front of her, loading his launcher. 

            Trinity's eyes widened as she watched five rockets launch at her. She didn't think, Trinity turned and ran for her life, just when she noticed she was trapped by the fire behind her. The hallway shook and the walls with the ceiling collapsed. Trinity turned around and watched Xan step through the flaming bits of Hell that was left of the hallway and chuckled in his inhuman voice. 

            Xan took his time as he started to load his second launch and Trinity knew that firing at him wouldn't injure him. Xan's hand jerked when the five rockets went straight for her and Trinity turned to her left and made a running jump out of the opening and floated through space. The explosion pushed her far enough for her to get a hold of the edge. Swinging in place, she pulled herself up in the light gravity and got into the station.

            The hallway Xan was in totally collapsed and was lost in space. Steaming rockets came her way and Trinity jumped over the large hole in the destroyed hallway. "I have to find his weakness." Trinity thought as she ran out of the hallway to grab the minigun.

            Zack quickly annihilated the guards in Xan's office, leaving blood splashed against the walls. He quickly came up to the Xan's computer and pushed the dead guard away. The defense system was on, already. Zack put down the weapon next to the computer and quickly started to type. Being a designer of a program that teaches hacking, gave him much experience and this was a piece of cake. 

            Zack typed in the last the command and the defense was off. He took a deep breath as he calmed down a little, hoping Tanya still had it in her to fight. A reflection skipped over the screen and Zack ducked as the screen flew away into the wall, feet away.

            Slowly standing up, Zack turned to see Matrix and Kira stand at the exit and Matrix point a shock rifle at him. Zack squeezed his hands into knuckles, watching the weapon carefully. "Once upon a time, I told if you ever point that peashooter at me, I'll fuse you." Matrix seemed to be enjoying this as he replied. "I'll fry you first." Zack shook his head in disappointed. "How can you fry me, when you STILL don't know how to use a weapon. Remember, I was supposed to replace you because you couldn't aim."

            Matrix growled at Zack and lunged after him, anger blocking his inhuman mind. Zack grunted as Matrix crushed him under his weight. "I will witness you die." Matrix whispered in his ear. Zack retaliated harshly as he put a knee between him and pushed him back into the exit, making his weapon drop. Kira screamed as she was pushed back but Matrix didn't seem to care. 

            Matrix jumped at him and Zack rolled away as Matrix hit the metallic table and break it in half. The plasma gun fell to the ground and Matrix dived for it. Remembering the shock rifle Matrix brought with him, Zack rolled for it. Spinning on his heel, after he got to his knees, Zack fired at Matrix's hand that held the weapon.

            Matrix screamed out as he grabbed his left wrist with his right hand, staring at what was left of it. "ARRR!" Zack dropped his gun as Kira jumped onto his back with a shriek. Sharp pain screamed through his side as Kira stabbed him with the dagger. She gave him a good hit in his back and Zack fell to the ground, groaning from pain.

            Matrix grabbed Zack by his hair and looked dead into his eyes. "You will pay for that hand of mine." Pain welcomed Zack as Matrix picked him by his hair and threw him into the wall.

            A lot of time was lost as Trinity was running from her nemesis, for the first time being afraid of him. Nothing would kill this guy and she doesn't know what to do, what was there to do? Xan was a killing machine. "You can run but you cannot hide. Hahahaha." That inhuman laughter made Trinity close her eyes. She felt angry, too angry to keep running away from him. 

            She grabbed her minigun and stood on her own feet and took a deep breath of the artificial oxygenated air. She is going to let this bastard die a most terrible death. If she has to go down with him, so beat it. Madness overtook her and she shrieked. She dived to her left from the outside bridge into the opening of the destroyed hallway and firing her minigun at Xan.

            Taken by surprise, Xan fell through the floor and Trinity followed him. Before he could react, Xan found himself being pinned against the wall as Trinity fired off in anger. The shield went down and the bullets rammed into his helmet, one by one. Trinity was screaming as she was firing at Xan with no mercy. _tatatatatatatatatatatatatata._ Xan screamed as his head ripped open and blood spewed out, painting the walls of the ripped hallway and her face. "I'm sorry, did I blow you hard apart?" Trinity taunted, as she tasted Xan's blood against her face.

            She dropped the empty weapon and ran for Xan's. She picked up the rocket launcher and checked to see it was perfectly loaded. Trinity licked her lips and smiled, as she knew, he wasn't invisible anymore. 

            Trinity exited the open hallway and ran down the ramp to pick up the flak cannon as something moved in the corner of her eye. Trinity fired without hesitating as she saw Xan skip out of view. The rockets hit the floor and she saw blood gush out. Trinity quietly tossed out the rocket launcher out of the opening and picked up the flak cannon and ran out. 

            She rushed down through a small hallway and picked up the armor. "You're losing it, Xan." She ran and circled around the ramp. "This is just the beginning, Trinity." She heard him say and she smiled. He hasn't moved from the spot. Trinity ran down and fired one good aimed shot of metal and he was pushed back and his armor broke. 

            Slowly walking towards him, she pummeled him with pieces. "You have killed so many innocent people and yet you dare run from me." Another shot was fired and Xan fell to his knees as his hand was ripped off. "Not even with me, can you fight a fare a match." Trinity quit firing as she watched Xan struggle. His armor was nothing more but a chewed up sheet, his hand chopped off and his legs not operational. "Your time has come. This is only the beginning." Trinity said as she fired one last shot at Xan and turned him to pieces. 

             "You are not allowed to enter!" Visor's robotic voice rang out as he blocked Dessloch's path. "You are not part of the tournament. I will call security." Dessloch shoulder-tackled him and Visor fell to the ground. Dessloch jumped over him as he ran for the elevator hallway as fast as his feet could take him.

            "Stop him!" Visor screamed out as he got to his knees but Dessloch ran into an elevator that was operational. "Luther?" Dessloch's head snapped at Lauren as she was standing in the elevator with him. "Lauren?" "What are you doing here?" She asked in a hushed voice and Dessloch walked back a little. "I have some unfinished business." He said and avoided Lauren's eye contact. "I know what you mean, Malcolm told the team what's going on." Lauren came closer and pulled out some sort of an explosive. 

            "He forgot to give this to Zack." Dessloch took it from her hands and smiled. "He said it might help him defeat Matrix. I'm guessing your going to him, right? Mind blowing Matrix to pieces." Dessloch fastened the explosive to his belt and nodded. "Sure thing, Lauren. Thanks, I owe you." Lauren shook her head. "No. You owe one to Malcolm. I refused in helping you guys, he was the one who wanted to." Dessloch looked at her with surprise. "I'm just here because Malcolm is still my friend."

            The elevator doors opened and Dessloch looked out. "Then you are a good friend, Lauren." He said and shook her hand. "Go, you don't have much time." She pushed him out the doors. "And good luck, that guy is pumped up and ready for a fight." Dessloch ran towards the office, screaming "Thanks."

            The lights went out in the cargo as Xan fired another three grenades from his rocket launcher. "Die!" The explosion shook the building and Trinity jumped back as a piece of roof fell right in the place she was standing. Trinity put down the rocket launcher and quickly ran for the GES bio rifle. She loaded the gun with the green, poisonous substance and threw the whole gun into the hallway. "What the?" Xan asked and Trinity took out the enforcer from the holster and shot the glass and the liquid spewed out.

            "AHHH!" Shriek filled her ears, as Xan came into view as he was grabbing his face. The suit was damaged badly as the acid penetrated through and into his skin. Trinity kneed and aimed with her launcher. _Beeb._ Trinity fired a homing missile and Xan was no more. "Killing Spree!" 

            Trinity ran out of the basement before it was buried by the broken walls and ceiling. "What's the matter Xan?" Trinity asked as she dropped the heavy gun and took the minigun next to the ramp. "Can't win a fair match?" Xan screamed at her words and she smiled. "Who is little now, Xan? Who is the weakest link?" She taunted, as he got even madder. 

            "You will pay for this, Menace." Xan roared and Trinity's eyebrows went up. "Pay for what, Xan? For justice? Hahaha. No, no, Xan. You will pay for murdering those people. I have suffered through so much; you can't even imagine the pain. I'll make sure you will suffer as well before you die." Xan screamed and Trinity ran onto the outside to try and find the bastard. 

            A lethal beam hit her straight in the gut, making her fly straight to space, when she climbed onto the rocket launcher platform. She quickly grabbed the edge of the bridge and started to pull herself up as Xan jumped across the rocket launcher platform. He aimed and fired straight at her. Trinity let go of the ledge with her left hand as she felt it burn. "Ah, dammit." She whispered and pulled herself up as fast as she could and rolled in space as she came up into the air.

            Beam past by her limp body and Trinity unfolded and unleashed the fires of hell straight into Xan. Bullets biting him straight into his torso and body, slowly ripping his armor apart. "Ahhh!" Xan screamed as he kept on firing and firing. One beam hit her and Trinity flew into space. Knowing she doesn't have enough time, Trinity pressed on the trigger harder and watched his armor split.

            Another beam hit her and Trinity floated in space, lifeless. "You are obsolete." Xan taunted. "Sometimes, Xan. You are just a little bit too cocky." Trinity pressed the trigger and the enforcer let out a bullet straight into his open temple. Blood spewed out at Trinity's face as she looked away. "Let's rock!" She screamed and pushed his falling body off the shuttle. 

            "Zack!" Dessloch yelled as he came up to his wounded friend sitting against the wall. "Careful. He's upgraded." Zack's voice barely made sound. "Shh. Don't say anything. Everything will be fine." Standing up to get something to tie the wound, just when he was about to turn around, Dessloch ducked as a monitor flew over his head and into the wall. 

            "Dessloch…" Matrix's voice boomed and Dessloch stood up and turned to his nemesis. "Matrix…" He regarded him the same way. "I've been waiting for this day to come." Matrix cracked his knuckles and Dessloch knew what he intended to do. "Yeah, me too. Today is a good day, Matrix." Matrix chuckled at Dessloch's words. "Too bad you won't be enjoying it much longer." Matrix lunged at Dessloch and he dodged to his right. 

            "RAaah!" Matrix screamed as he turned towards Dessloch and ran at him. Dessloch grabbed the lamp at the ceiling and pulled his legs up as the 'Corrupt' collapsed into the wall. The lamp cracked and Dessloch fell to the floor with it. "Ugh." He groaned and stood up to find Matrix grabbing his neck. He wheeled him around into the wall and leveled a punch into his abdomen.

            Blood escaped Dessloch through his mouth as pain spread through his body. Matrix didn't wait as he sent him flying into another wall making him crumble to the floor. Dessloch slowly stood up as his feet barely supported him. Matrix cracked his knuckle as he went for a punch.

            Dessloch ducked under and came around Matrix's back and kicked him into the wall. "Here's a little something for ya, pal." Dessloch strapped off the explosive and stuck it on Matrix's back and pressed the trigger. A punch hit Dessloch in the face, making him fall straight through the exit and into the wall.    

            There was no time as Dessloch quickly got up and ran for Zack. He grabbed him and supported his weight as they both limped towards the exit. Dessloch turned around and watched Matrix struggle to reach the explosive. _5…4…3…2…1._ The wave of the explosion pushed them out and they both landed on the floor just outside the office. 

            "You, alright?" Dessloch asked his friend and Zack sat against the wall. "Yeah, just a little bit deaf in my left ear but I'll be fine. You better find Kira, she went to fix the problem." Dessloch nodded but soon his face was covered with horror as he watched Zack's eyes widen. "I'm not dead yet, Dessloch." A voice boomed behind him.

(a/n): Okay, this turned out longer than I thought. Sorry about not updating for a long time but I have my reasons. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Sorry if I cut it off but I had to. You still need to read the other half of the match Trinity Vs. Xan and the fight between Dessloch and Matrix. Also, I have a little scenario after all the fights and basically it will be as long as this chapter or even longer. I just gave you a little break and the other half will be up soon.  


	28. Vengeance For Blood Part II

**(a/n): Okay, a promise is a promise and I am updating as fast as possible. I apologize, once again, for having cut off at a very interesting point but I had to do it or other wise you would have to read 16 pages or more. I didn't want to torture you guys so I decided to give you a little break. If you are still unhappy, I'm very sorry. I have done this a couple of times in my fic, like with the Once a Friend Now an Enemy chapters and the Raging Wars. If you really don't like this tell me so, and I won't be breaking the chapters up and I'll just let you read the whole thing at once. Remember, if you don't like something in the fic, tell me. **

**Here are quick thanks to my reviewers.**

**Fun:** Yep, that's right. He saved her. And he is going to save her again and again. I guess you already know how much Dess really loves her. Well, keep enjoying. 

**COUGH:** Welcome back! It's alright if you didn't review. There is no schedule or anything. Plus, I know how you feel. I had to study for a lot of things too when the school year ended. Hey, as long as the exams are finished with right? Sorry about the cliffhangers by the way. I do promise that the last chapter of the book won't have a cliffhanger. I'm not that mean. Well, keep reading.

**Alex:** Haha. You're welcome. I did my best. And thank you for your lovely compliments. You flatter me. But "flattery gets you nowhere". LOL. And Trinity will KICK Xan's @$$. I promise. 

**Slash The Ironman: **Sawwy. For the cliffy. And yeah, Dess isn't such a prick after all. Haha. And watch, he'll take on Matrix with one hand strapped behind his back if needed. NOT! Lol. 

Okay, I know I've been praying for my life for the past few chapters, but now I'm praying for Talon's. Don't you DARE let Fang kill Talon. Or Fang will get it…Kinda. Lol.  

**Daniel Wesley Rydell:** Yes, I will smash Matrix and I'll smash him good. I'll do it for ANYBODY. Haha. Anyway I can't promise you about Zack. Let's see. To kill or not to kill, that is the question. Nah, I'm just joking. But I'm not promising anything. Who knows what kind of mood I'm in when I'm writing. Well keep reading. 

**Okay people, continue ENJOYing this story. It's almost the end so get everything out of this story as you can. ^_^ But it's not the end, YET. **

Chapter28: Vengeance For Blood Part II

            "You know, your father begged for his life in front of the Liandri soldiers." Xan's voice reached Trinity as she was reloading her minigun. "Yeah, and yet in the end they ended up dead and you faced him in a match." Xan chuckled and Trinity's heart burned. "You know your father's history too well, Tanya." 

            Trinity gripped her minigun and carefully walked up to the hall that had the ceiling trashed with an opening. "Tanya is long dead, Xan. I have you to thank for that." A feeling ran through her body that he was standing there, on the other side of the hall, ready to shoot at her. He is trying to wheel her out, and she is going to show him that she is not a little girl anymore.

            She ran quietly through the portal and appeared on the other side of the shuttle. There he was, Xan, standing there in front of her facing his back to her, trying to wait her out. "The name is Trinity." Her voice boomed and so did her weapon. Xan was ripped to bloody chunks before he even saw his doom coming. "That had to hurt." She said it flawlessly as she watched his bloody, ripped opened body stumble to the floor.

            "You will regret coming here, Menace." She wanted to chuckle at how blind this idiot champion really was. "I never said I was enjoying this. But hearing you taunt makes my day." A roar filled her ears and she smiled. She is definitely going to enjoy watching him die.

            The halls shook when Matrix took Dessloch by his hair and threw him across into the wall. Blood escaped his lips as he slid to the floor, pain throbbing through his head. "Oh, how I waited for this day." Matrix's voice hissed as he picked Dessloch up by his neck. 

            Matrix was planning on killing him. It seemed pretty useless to fight back but Dessloch knew he would never give up without a fight. He must fight 'till the end. He is a Reaver, he is a soldier, he is Dessloch. Dessloch swung at Matrix's face and it only moved an inch. The grasp got harder and air escaped Dessloch's lungs fast. 

            Matrix swung a punch into his ribs and he screamed out from the pain, spreading slowly from his ribs to his head. Matrix tried again and Dessloch was fighting to stay conciseness as the robot wheeled him around into another wall. "Look at you." His voice hit Dessloch like lightning. "Humans are obsolete." 

            There was a sweet metal cry as a large piece of pipe hit Matrix in the back of his head and made him topple over. Zack raised it in the air and slammed it down onto Matrix's back. "Zack, watch out!" Dessloch screamed as he ran into him and they both fell to the ground as a lethal beam missed Zack's face by a millimeter. 

            Kira appeared in the end of the hallway, holding the cursed weapon in her hands, pointing it at Dessloch's bloody, tired face. "I really liked you, you know?" She said it as though she was regretting this. She came up closer as Matrix was regaining his balance. "Sorry, but it would have never worked out." Dessloch said, there was a hint in his voice that he was about to rip her to pieces.

            "Yeah, I know. But it won't work out between you and Trin, either. I activated the failsafe. She is as good as dead. She won't be respawning anymore. Sorry, guess she better work harder." Anger burned through Dessloch's bruised body. "You bitch!" Dessloch lunged for her and blue abyss welcomed him…

            "Hahahahaha!" Laughter filled what was left of the arena and Trinity guessed it wasn't good. What ever was happening, Zack screwed up. "Of all the mighty Gods!!!!!! Hahahahahaha." Trinity tightened her grip on her weapon as she prepared for the worst. Suddenly she felt all of her booster energy escape her as the Invisibility fail. "What? Why?" She quietly asked herself unaware of what is going on. 

            Out of nowhere, bullets hurled her limp body out into space on the twin bridges and Trinity grabbed her ankle. The bullets felt real. But she had enough of respawns left. What's going on? Why does it feel like it's her last life? If she gets out of here alive, she's going to kill Zack, for good. 

            "Run, Human. Hahahaha." Xan's voice boomed through the arena as Trinity's eyes widened at his insane laughter. "I have to think of something, and fast." Trinity looked at the bridge she was staying at the open space. She smiled. If he really is immortal than he will be floating in space forever. But the hard part is getting him out into space.

            Xan is a bastard but he is not dumb, she'll give him that. "Oh, Trinity. I have a little present for ya!" Four grenades slipped into view as they rolled her way. Trinity's eyes widened and she didn't think. She pushed herself off of the platform and floated to the next bridge. 

            She landed silently and decided to sneak up on him. Gripping her rifle with effort, she took a deep breath and stepped out into the hallway, to see Xan walking up to the opposite exit. 

            She raised her minigun to her eyelevel as she took the most perfect shot. The weapon ripped, bullets zipping through the thin air into Xan's skull. _Tatatatatatatatatata_. Smoke and dim filled in the room, the gray thick cloud prevented her from seeing if she was successful or not. The smoke started to fill in her lungs and she started to cough.

            "You can't get rid of me that easy." Xan hissed out of the gray smoke. A shadowy figure appeared to be running straight at her. Trinity raised her minigun again but before she fired it the figure rammed into her body. She screamed as her back went up against the wall in back of her and her minigun sprawled from her fingers to the floor.

            Before Trinity slid down to the floor Xan grabbed her by her neck and raised her high in the air. "Prepare to die, Trinity. Hahahahahaha." The halls filled with laughter of death as Xan brought up the rocket launcher to her face. 

            "Luthor!" Zack yelled his comrade's name as he flew into the wall with a bloody hole through his left shoulder. Dessloch fell to the floor, looking lifeless from the blow. 

            "I always knew he was foolish." Kira's voice rang out with a pleasurable tone. She has been waiting for this for years, Zack figured. Fury ran over him, thoughts of how to put this monster to Hell along with Matrix. Zack screamed from anguish, ignoring all of his pain from the wounds that were torn, he leaped at her. 

            Kira fired and missed as Zack came from the side. He grabbed her weapon and kicked her with a spinning kick. Kira fell against Matrix as Zack held onto the weapon with his fingers. Curled tightly against the handle, his fingers sprawled over it, going through the trigger, aiming carefully at the two.

            He had them. Right there, dead in the aim. So why couldn't he shoot? Sweat pour down his eyebrow as he aimed at Kira's heart. Almost hearing her heartbeat, he had the perfect aim. Gritting his teeth, forcing to press the trigger, his hands refuse the command.

            Against the ringing of his head, the uncertainty in his mind, memories fleshing back, fire burning everywhere, Zack couldn't do it. "What are you waiting for, shoot them!" Dessloch called out in a hurt voice. 

            Hurt voice, a voice of his friend's and it was trembling. Trembling from agony and who brought this pain? Zack set his eyes like he would on a prey and screamed out as he shot at her. Shot through his screams, memories fleshing by. Memories of a terrible mistake, a terrible sin he made years ago.

            Kira fell, trembling in Matrix's hands, as he grabbed her, revealing a burning hole in his robotic chest. "Kira?" His voice trembled and Zack just watched. What has he done? Zack dropped the weapon to the floor and closed his eyes. No, he won't accept it. It was not a mistake; it was the right thing to do.

            Matrix's head whipped at Zack's direction with fury engraved in his eyes. "She was my friend. MY friend." His voice sounded more deadly than the weapon Zack has dropped from disbelief. 

            Matrix screamed and charged towards the human with revenge. A hard blow was reinforced on the side of Matrix's head, wheeling him from Zack and into the wall. Dessloch landed on his feet and rammed Matrix into the wall again. 

            Against the wall, Matrix heard Dessloch hiss, "You will be joining her shortly." Dessloch spun and kicked him into the wall, cracking it at the edges of the blow. Pain ran through Dessloch's body like nerves from his wounds, extending from his shoulder to his body and fingers. 

            Before Dessloch made another hit, Matrix turned around and hit Dessloch in the head with his own. Dessloch collapsed, with pain ripping through his head, as he grabbed it with his bloody hands. 

            Matrix picked him up by his hair, each root crying out and, let Dessloch see his eyes. They were burning with a fiery passion of his death. "You will die the most terrible death, Dessloch." He grabbed his injured shoulder with his other hand and Dessloch gritted his teeth, to keep himself from screaming.  

            "You won't be able to hold it for long." Matrix shoved him into the air and Dessloch hit the ceiling before he hit the floor. Blood rushed up to his mouth and Dessloch spit it out into Matrix's face when he raised his head. 

            Looking like he is going to kill him, Matrix spun around—still holding onto Dessloch's hair—and rammed his head into the wall, hard. Dessloch couldn't help but to cry out from horrible pain. 

            A beam burned through the air and Matrix flew through one of the walls, making another opening to Xan's office. Relief swept over Dessloch as his friend helped him up. "Come on, we've got to save Tanya. She won't be able to hold on much longer." Zack called back to Dessloch as he ran towards the exit.

            "Luthor?" Zack turned around to see Dessloch in the same place. "We don't have much time." Zack tried again but Dessloch didn't move as he said, "You, go. I will finish this." Zack's eyes traveled to the pile of filth that was left from the wall and a robotic hand busted through the debris. 

            "But Luthor, he's going to kill you!" Zack sounded concerned but he felt like it won't help. "He's going to follow you, Zack. I can't let Trish die. You are her only chance. GO! Damnit!" Dessloch's cold voice rang out with a hint of pain. He was right, Zack thought. One of them would have to do this. 

            "She loves you, Luthor. You better come back in one piece." Was the final thing Zack said before he ran down the hallway towards the operating system. Dessloch turned his head towards the broken wall and tightened his knuckles as Matrix approached. 

            Xan threw Trinity down the ramp, towards the round hallway that is no more, and dropped his empty launcher. Lucky for her that he was out of ammo. Xan kneeled and picked up her weapon and shot towards her way. The bullets hit the bare floor and Xan screamed. She still had energy to escape. How brave of her to irritate him further.

            "Come on, Tanya-girl. Let me finish you. I promise this will be quick." Trinity gritted her teeth as she stayed behind the column, thinking of different ways to finish him off. Right now, blowing him to smithereens was the loveliest one. 

            "Hiding won't help. I know where you are." His voice echoed to her ears. Trinity took a deep breath as she ran for the portal in front of here. Bullets flying past her and ramming into the wall not too far off, as Trinity dived for the portal. 

            She leaped through and rolled down the hall, landing on her knees. She whipped her head around to make sure no one followed her. She only saw the portal, giving off light from the middle. 

            A deep breath escaped her and she pressed forward just when she realized something was very wrong. She looked at the empty space next to the column, seeing the bare floor. The medkits where gone. Zack better fix this problem soon. She is not immortal and does not know how much longer she can hold on. 

            She ran up to the new, respawned minigun and picked it up with effort. She was tired. Her legs were too tired to keep her up any longer but she had to do this, no matter what it takes. 

            She didn't hear anyone teleport to this side of the shuttle, meaning Xan was trying to trick her. She has no idea of where could he be. She wants to go down one level to get her flak cannon, but she didn't know if Xan took that way, as well. There are no rooms for mistakes and she knows that but she needs an efficient weapon for close range.

            If Xan is immortal might, as well, torment him with the most deadly weapons. She was frozen as she couldn't decide what should she do. If he is down there she's dead. If he's not then she will be very lucky. Choices, choices. 

            Trinity bit her lower lip and decided where she would go. She would go down, and hopefully she won't find Xan there, hopefully. She took a deep breath as she tightened her grip on her weapon and exhaled slowly. She looked down the ramp and slowly went down. 

            "You're only human." Matrix stated clearly as he held Dessloch close and twisted his hand at Dessloch's back. He gritted his teeth from pain as Matrix forced him to his knees. "Look at you, you are dieing, Dessloch, and you are refusing the fact." 

            Matrix lowered Dessloch to the floor. "It's a real shame of how human's mind works, you know. You all refuse everything you don't like. Why is that? Is it because you're afraid?" Dessloch didn't answer back as he tried to his best to fight back but Matrix had him right there. He better do something fast if he doesn't want to die at Matrix's hands. 

            Dessloch leaned towards the floor closer and rolled, bringing Matrix below him. Dessloch swung back a hit with his right elbow into the side of Matrix's head. He felt the grip on his arm lighten and he pulled back his throbbing arm and shoulder. 

            He got up, with Matrix following him. Dessloch kicked him in his ripped chest from the beam and Matrix backed up a little. He knew, Matrix doesn't feel any pain. Too bad Zack only had one plastic explosive. He would have loved to shove another one down Matrix's throat. 

            "You have interfered far too long." Matrix's voice was smooth as he ran at Dessloch with unbelievable speed. He was about to turn, turn and run for his life, but it was already too late. Matrix rammed into Dessloch, forcing him to the floor, Matrix crushing him with his weight. 

            "You're good, I'll give you that. But tonight is your last day, Dessloch." Matrix grabbed him by his hair, forcing him to look into his inhuman eyes. Laughter filled Dessloch's ears and he did not hesitate. He took the Plasma Rifle through the filth of the debris from the wall and pointed it at Matrix. "Suck on this, loser." Dessloch fired the plasmatic rifle, melting away Matrix's disordered face to ash. Matrix stumbled to his knees, hands trying to grab his head that isn't there. Suddenly his hands dropped to his side and he fell to the floor, face down.

            Dessloch dropped the rifle and rolled onto his back and took a deep breath. Dessloch felt complete, felt like this is almost over. All that is left is to help Trinity at all costs. 

            Dessloch got up and looked around the burning hallway. It has been turned into a battlefield. Flames swallowing up the office and he sees how the lights crackling in Xan's office through the hole that Matrix made. Finally, his eyes traveled to his dead nemesis, his armor chewed up from the plastic explosive, a big sizzling hole in his chest, and a melted away head. 

            A terrible death to die, Dessloch figured, but nonetheless Matrix deserved. If it weren't Matrix that would have died it would have been him instead. And like Zack said before, Trinity loves him and he must come back to her in one piece. She must comeback in one piece, as well.

            He took one last look at the corpses in the hallway and took his leave. He isn't going to dwell on the two soldiers' death. They were both trying to kill him, both trying to kill Zack, and the one that hurt the most they tried killing Trinity. Trinity, the woman he loved. He won't allow anyone to hurt her even if it means his life. Better her be safe than him.

            He shook away the thoughts and decided to catch up to Zack. He'll see if he can give him some backup. The Liandri Troops won't fall easily. Time is at hand, and there was not enough of it.

            Trinity hugged against the wall, weapon powered up and ready. She slowly walked towards the hallway and the edge, taking a deep breath when she got near the corner. Carefully, she looked out into the long hallway, seeing nothing strange. The lights were out from the shoot out, dimming the hallway to almost darkness. Light was only coming from the second floor; she could just make out the debris that fell from the ceiling before.

            Moving slowly as if part of the shapeless shadows, moving closely to the walls, making no sound. She didn't want to alarm Xan of her presence; there is still a chance that he is here waiting for her to make his move. 

            Her heart beat against her chest, thumping louder than the low hum of the engines. Her breath was short and shallow, heart beating faster by each beat, as she made her way towards to the other side of hall. Sneaking in the darkness, only seeing the light's curtain on the floor not too far away but the way she moved, it seemed as if its miles away.

            Finally seeing the outside space through an opening that is on the opposite side from the light source. There should be a Flak Cannon, sitting on the floor, with the light from the top floor she should be able to spot it. But there was nothing. Emptiness. She saw no Flak Cannon, just the dark floor with the opening to space. 

            This could only mean two things, either Xan took it, or it didn't respawn yet, both choices do not seem great to the situation she's in. She's a sitting duck out here. Xan could come in any minute, she shouldn't be waiting for the weapon to just appear. She'll need to leave this place before Xan— 

            —something moved in back of her. Trinity wheeled around as a fist connected with her face. She flew against the wall near the opening, light shining into her direction from her left. She looked up and saw a large, yellow weapon in her face.

            "Zack!" Dessloch yelled out his friend's name as he gave a good punch to one of the Liandri Troopers, letting him fall to the floor. This proved to be a challenge. He needed to find Zack quickly but there were just too many soldiers in this particular area. He doesn't doubt one bit that they are protecting this place because of the Main Frame Computer, the computer that runs the whole Unreal Tournament.

            A soldier came running out the hallway in front of him, and Dessloch killed him before he reached for his weapon. "Zack!" Dessloch screamed again as he ran through the silver hallways. "Zack, dammit, where are you?!"

            "He's over there!" Dessloch turned towards the voice and shot his weapon at the owner of it, making him stumble to the floor with a melting hole in his stomach. Dessloch turned to the direction he was running, trying to find his friend, Zack. 

            He stumbled in front of the large, electronic, heavy doors. Behind these doors is where the Main Frame Computer is with Zack in there, as well. 

            "Bioweapon online." Dessloch whipped his head towards his left at the robotic voice and saw an electronic door swing up smoothly with a soft hum noise. From it came out a patrol security bot with light artillery on top. To his right, another door swung up and a second security bot came out.

            He was trapped. The Liandri troops were gaining on him, the doors in front of him were closed, and now the bioweapons were online. Basically to sum it all up, he was screwed. "Target located." Dessloch eyes widened as the two robots started to shoot at him with its light artillery. _Tatatatatatatatatata. _Dessloch leaped backwards away from the doors, making the bots hit each other. 

            It wasn't long when they stopped the fire, before he got a chance to get away, the two started to turn to his direction. Dessloch got to his feet and turned to run down the hallway but it was already to late. The Liandri has caught up with him and they pointed their weapons straight at his face.

            "Don't move!" Came a reply from on of the soldiers. Dessloch didn't know what to do. He looked at the patrol bots and they were ready to shoot him for good. He couldn't just give up he _must_ not give up. Trinity needs him and he must fight to the end. 

            Dessloch backed up and the soldiers cocked their weapons, red laser dots appearing on his chest and in his eyes. He took a deep breath and backed up a step and bumped into the heavy doors. There had to be something, something he could use, but he couldn't use squat in this situation. 

            "Drop your weapon!" Came the voice again as the Liandri watched him with their steady eyes. Dessloch pressed his lips from nervousness as he slowly crouched to put the weapon on the floor. He put down the weapon, slowly, and got to his feet. 

            Just when the soldier was about to give anymore commands, there was a heavy door lock sound and the doors behind him opened in opposite directions, sliding into opposite walls. 

            "Shoot him!" Was the last thing Dessloch heard when he was pulled through the opening and against the wall as the doors closed, leaving the soldiers and the bots behind. Breath escaped him fast as his eyes fell upon Zack. 

            "Thanks. But you could have done that a little sooner, I was about to die from a heart attack." Dessloch's voice sounded rasp as he breathed shallow and fast. "Sorry, I can't hear anything from here. I just saw you on one of the cameras." Zack sounded sincere as he put his hand on Dessloch's good shoulder. 

            "How you holding up?" Dess asked him, looking into his face with blood spilled on his left temple. "I'll be okay." Zack let go of him and went up to the computer with million of screens. The screens showed everything; from the match Trinity is fighting to the hallways in the Liandri building. One of the images grasped his heart and his attention as he is scanned the whole wall.

            "Hey." Dessloch said, pointing at one of the screens. "Isn't that Trinity?" Zack looked at the screen and his eyes widened. "Shit! It's amazing he didn't shoot her." Zack started to type. "Hurry up man, he isn't going to be holding her forever." Dessloch said as he looked how Xan held Trinity by her throat with a Flak Cannon in her face. He seemed to be talking to her and it didn't seem like a friendly talk either.

            Dessloch looked down at Zack and saw him typing fast. The screen flickered and showed a long list of commands that are used in the tournament and at the very bottom of the list it stated clearly that Zack needed a password to disable the commands that were imputed earlier. 

            "Shit, I don't know the code." He heard Zack curse quietly. 

            "Well can't you hack it? I mean aren't you good at this?" Dessloch's voice faltered. 

            "Yes but it will take time, she doesn't has that time." Zack's voice was strained.

            "Well than hurry up. She's running out of it." Dessloch clenched his teeth as he watched her being held by Xan. "Hurry up." Dessloch quietly repeated his words. 

(a/n): Okay guys, I'm going to cut it off here. It turns out longer than I would ever expect. Don't go killing me. Look on the bright side. The story isn't finished yet. Sorry if you all expected this to be the end but I have the story all planned out in fragments. 

            I already have all the ideas but I just didn't know it would be this long. I hope you enjoyed reading it. The third part will be up soon, hopefully faster than this chapter. Sorry if it took long but I took a lot of time writing this chapter to its limits.  I apologize for the cliffhanger, too. Well this is it. Hope you enjoyed it. 


	29. Vengeance For Blood Part III

(a/n): I apologize for the delay everybody. I'm taking all my time at writing this. I think it's getting better and better. To tell you the truth I actually enjoyed the last chapters more than my very first. I think I'm getting better. What do you all think? Well, anyway let's continue with the story. Here are my thanks.

**Daniel Wesley Rydell: **My apologies about the cliffhanger. The story is reaching its end. I'm turning things around, solving the problems characters have, and creating more difficulties on the way. Not to worry. Xan will eventually die. Either from age or from Trinity. ^_~. But either way, the both ways will be slow—and painful. 

**shrtys-sk8er: **I apologize once more for the cliffhangers that made appearances in most of the last chapters. The story is reaching its end. I'm making the ending as best as possible. Hope you like it. So what can I say? Enjoy.

**Slash The Ironman: **Late? You didn't review late. I haven't updated yet and you say you're late. Man, then **I'm **really late, huh? Sorry for not updating for quite some time. Trinity is just _beginning_ to kick Xan's @$$.

I just want to tell you that I don't want you to quit writing your story. Your story is so good. I really love it, the characters there are awesome, the plot twisted, it is perfect. You might have stopped writing because you don't feel the story, but don't scrap it. Rewrite it to your new tastes, I mean it would be a huge loss if you just let it go. Think about it.

Well anyway, enjoy.

**Fun:** Fun, you are marvelous. I'm serious. Thank you so so SO much! And yeah, it's like a daily procedure to have a cliffhanger in the end of the chapters. Don't worry I'm not planning on writing one for the last chapter. Well I hoped you enjoyed your vacation, they are really refreshing, well now enjoy the chapter. ^_~ 

**Alex: **Hahahaha. I got everybody nervous. Well, seems like I did a job well done. Thanks for reviewing and sorry for not updating for a while. But the wait is over, right?

**On the last note,**

**ENJOY**

Chapter29: Vengeance For Blood Part III

            "Things have gotten out of hand, I must agree, Tanya. But nevertheless, everything got back on track." Xan's voice was smooth as he held Trinity by her throat and a good foot above the ground. "But you had to come along and trash the entire system." He shoved the large weapon in her face, hitting her hard. "What possibly made you think you'll make it this far?" Xan tilted his head as he spoke with a hint of amusement. 

            "Revenge!" Trinity gritted her teeth hard as she hit him in his torso with both of her feet. Xan backed away from the hard shove, dropping Trinity in place. "And justice!" She nearly spat as she spun and put all of her energy into her right leg as she enforced another hard blow. Xan slammed against the wall as he still held the weapon in hand.

            Trinity dropped to the floor, her fingers grabbing for the large Minigun, instinctively. As soon as her hands sprawled over it in place, she picked the heavy gun and let out a thundering repeating boom. Bullets hitting Xan in place, ripping holes and burying into his body, the fast rounds spinning out from the large barrel. 

            She didn't stop she couldn't stop. Her throat burning, and her body bruised screamed for her to take a breather, to take a rest. There was no time. The pain running through her limp body won't stop her. If she will stop, she will die. 

            Dim smoked the hallways with gusting gray color, blocking the light from atop, desperately making its way into her lungs. Red light blinked on her weapon, finally her eyes falling upon it. _Out of ammo. Shit. _

            As if on cue, Xan emerged from the smoke with her doom as he pointed the Flak Cannon at her face. _Not gonna make out. Gonna die, gonna die, dammit! _Her eyes found his finger go over the trigger as he grasped the weapon harder. She let out a sharp breath as her head screamed. _Going to die, do something, THINK! _

            Eyes covered with fear as she looked at her weapon and without thinking, she threw the heavy gun straight at him. Metal scraped out of the gun, splintering into pieces, as Xan was thrown back and his Flak Cannon jerked upwards. 

            Taking a deep breath, Trinity turned and ran up the ramp as the metallic pieces found their way into her skin. Light welcomed her as she sprinted for her life, from the screeching metal. 

            Her legs cried out, pain ripping as the blood leaked flawlessly. She ran around the column and dived into the portal, headfirst. Appearing from the other end, she rolled against the floor, her left side hitting the wall opposite of the portal.

            Short, shallow breaths escaped her quickly as she pushed herself up on her elbows, looking straight at the teleporting device. Nothing. No one was there. _Run. Run dammit. Run for your life. RUN!!!!!!!_ She scrambled to her feet and ran towards the ramp that led out into open space.

            A cry from a weapon burned the air as flak flew around everywhere. Desperate to run for her life she rounded to her left, up and out, running out onto the twin bridges. She pumped for speed as her adrenaline level went up. Sweat poured down her as she went up towards the Rocket Launcher.

            She wasted no time as she picked up the heavy Launcher. Feeling the weight of the gun didn't give her confidence, but she had nothing more to do but to be confident. She fired two rockets downward towards the bridge she came from. Steam trail was left behind as the rockets swirled around one another. 

            In a blink of an eye, Trinity saw Xan dart out from the exit and back in as the explosive rounds rammed against the steel of the bridge. Trinity made her way towards the left bridge, turning and running inside the broken hallway. 

            At the foot of the ramp, Trinity saw Xan in the corner of her eye. She turned left and fired one warning missile. It burned the air with its own chemical, making its way into the wall. 

            She didn't see Xan. She kind of started to hope that she finally got him from the explosion. Maybe he flew against one of the walls, barely getting on his feet. But because there was no hope, that was merely impossible. In fact, she believed he was now making his way towards the lower levels.

            She had enough of ammo to burn her nemesis to bits and pieces, and she intends to. Decision made, Trinity ran down toward the lower levels. She started to load up her Launcher and when she got to the corner, she leaped sideways, unleashing hell.

            Rolling after the contact with the ground, Trinity got to her knees and was ready to fire more missiles if needed. She couldn't see far, as the steam trail started to spread and cloud the hallway. 

            Did she miss? What if he really wasn't there? Well, better shoot and miss rather than not shoot at all. She must take all precautions in her situation. _Yeah, go on. Shoot all of your ammo. Not that only you'll be out of it, you'll, also, give away your position. _Her inner voice whispering in her head snickered and it was right. She shouldn't shoot.    

She slowly made her way down the hall, keeping a good eye on her surroundings. It was dark in the whole hallway, she could see some hint of light on the very end. Her heart suddenly started to beat faster as she neared the dark place. This was a place where she nearly died, she should get out not to repeat the same process. 

            She broke into a run and ran out of the hallway up the ramp and quickly turned around. There was no one. Xan was playing with her, and he is doing a good job at it, too. She looked at her Rocket Launcher, thoughtfully, asking herself where should she go. 

            The hallway, which held the ShieldBelt, was gone and the hallway, which held the Invisibility, was trashed as well. No power ups are available to her at all. She took a deep breath to clear her mind. 

            If she wants to get rid of Xan and he IS immortal—he looks immortal, anyway—than she should try and push him out to space. She'll be able to take a breather and rest until Zack is finished fumbling over whatever he's doing. 

            Her heart sank when she heard someone enter through the portal behind her. Spinning around as she dashed to her left, landing on her side. She saw no one near the teleporting device. She slowly stood up, keeping a good aim at the portal. 

            "Hmm." She was drowned in thought. _What exactly is he trying to do?_ She slowly lowered her weapon, still keeping an eye out, ready to shoot anything. But there was nothing.  ****

She cautiously started to turn around, still gripping onto her Launcher with a good grip—when a ball of metal shrieked right past her. Pieces exploded the minute it reached the floor, swirling into her skin. 

            She screamed in pain when flak rammed into her stomach and fell to the ground. "Oh I'm sorry, Tanya-girl. Did that hurt?" Xan appeared right above her with a Flak Cannon in hand. "You bastard." Was all she managed to say. Her hands ran up to her abdomen, blood flowing through her fingers. 

            She fought back a cry as Xan hit her in the face with his metallic foot. Pain and death filled Trinity's mind, feeling like she has lost. Zack was right. She couldn't beat him if he activated the traps. Zack has failed her as she failed her father. 

            "You know, when I fought your father, he was a good match to fight against. But your daddy didn't have something that I did." Xan picked her up by her hair and looked into her eyes. "He didn't have a Conspiracy behind his back." He roughly threw her down the ramp towards the lower level; her body rolling down like a body of the dead.

            She landed on her back at the foot of the ramp. Still trying to fight her way out of it but feeling no energy within her anymore. She had no hope, she had no faith, how could she defeat the man that has never been defeated before? Was it useless after all? 

            _No._ A voice in her head said. _No it's not useless, Tanichka. You can do it, don't give up! _"Zack?" She quietly whispered her old friend's name. "No, sorry Tanya. Vicklair ain't here." Xan's voice boomed behind her. "What you are experiencing is the moment before you die." 

            _Don't listen to him. Tanya, remember. You are Tanya Menace! You can do it. Who cares if there is no hope or faith? You lived without it all your life! Don't give in, never give up! _

            "People say your whole life flashes before your eyes. Sorry to say, Vicklair won't be here to help you, now."

            _FIGHT! NOW!_

Shriek of metal pierced her body as she broke the ships walls. "AHHHHHHHHH!" Trinity screamed until she reached endless space—

            —and she appeared on the other side of the hallway with nothing but a headache and a sour throat. Smile traced her lips as her eyes fell upon the Flak Cannon sitting besides the opening. 

Dessloch laughed with happiness as he gave a good hit on Zack's shoulder. Zack done it. Zack's the man and Dess will make sure he'll honor him 24/7/365. Dessloch watched Zack lean back in the chair and exhale a deep breath. "Zack, you're Einstein, man." Dessloch couldn't seem to hide his excitement as much as he tried.

            "Kick ass, Tanichka." Dessloch heard Zack say quietly as he abandoned the computer, picking up his weapon. "So." Zack seemed to be very calm about the situation while Dessloch was about to pop open Champaign and offer a few shots. "What are we going to do about them?" 

            Feeling as though he got hit in the gut, Dessloch turned his head slowly to the doors, he came through earlier, and saw sparks fly from a cutting tool. They're in deep shit. The door is the only way out of here. "Zack, any plans?" Dessloch slowly looked at his friend. "Zack?"

            "Sucker." Trinity's voice purred when she send Xan's chopped body through the same hole she was shot out through. Xan didn't expect her to rise from her death and she came back with vengeance. Whatever Zack has done, it worked. She never doubted Zack before; he always did the job he was given. But just for a split second, she thought Zack has screwed up when Xan almost killed her. 

            "I'm going to kill Vicklair." She heard Xan say through his earpiece, definitely not amused of the recent events. "Not unless I'll kill you first." She added to his statement and ran out of the lower level, deciding she will never go down there ever again. The lower level is a death trap, nothing more. 

            "You know, you need to be more careful who you hire, Xan. It was a dumb mistake to have hired Zack, but it was very fortunate for me. Can I ever repay you?" Trinity added a sarcastic tone of willingness and she was answered with a scream which made her smile.

            "I'm going to rip you apart." Came a very cruel voice after that. Trinity didn't much care for his babbling; she just wanted to finish this quickly but painfully. She is the one who is going to rip him to pieces after what he has done to her, her life, her soul. Because of him she is now what she is today and she will make sure that she will give him everything she got. Simply put, Xan's a dead man. 

            "Well, Xan. This is the final showdown. Any last words?" Trinity asked him sounding as polite as she could be. No answer followed that up as she grabbed the Minigun and strapped it behind her back as she held her Flak Cannon in hand.

            From this time onward, it's a fair match. If she is everything she thought she is, she should defeat Xan—no she WILL defeat Xan. Today is the last day with her suffering. Today is her vengeance. Today is the day where she will spill his blood to get her vengeance. Only one of them will walk away from this and the day if finally here. Trinity was confident that everything would go as she planned all her life. 

            She ran outside on the bridges, diving in for a roll as she heard a rocket extinguish from Xan's launcher. She got to her feet as fast as she could, dropping her Flak Cannon and swinging the minigun from her shoulder. She took the aim and pressed the trigger. The bullets ripped from the Minigun, shaking Trinity as she gritted her teeth, as new holes plugged into Xan's armor.

            He jumped from the Launcher platform and into the air as he started to shower her with rockets. Trinity's eyes widened as she watched the rockets fly her way, not knowing which way to dodge. Before she made her move, the rockets hit the floor next to her sending her into air.

            A homing missile curved up before it hit the floor and headed straight for her, as she was vulnerable in the free air. She screamed as her doom was met.  

            "This is your 'so-called' plan?" Dessloch asked Zack, sounding as polite as he could be when one of the Liandri troops frisked him and another handcuffed him. "Pretty much, yeah." Zack answered back as he was forced to his knees. 

            Dessloch closed his eyes and breathed out a long breath as he looked around the Main Frame Computer room. The computer was history; at least one smart thing they did was destroying it. Getting arrested is not a very 'smart' thing to do; he would have rather fought 'till the end. He would have, if he had known Zack's plan earlier. 

            "So, are we waiting for something or someone?" Dessloch asked, trying not to show his nervousness, hoping there was more to the plan than it seems. He looked at Zack who seemed to be thinking. Shaking his head, Zack responded, "Not really. This is about it." Zack's mad. That's all really to it. 

            Dessloch looked at his friend and back at the troops, feeling like cat got his tongue. Dessloch was a free man for about a second, came back to help Trinity and Zack only to have himself arrested because Zack, here, doesn't have a better plan. "Hell." Was all that Dessloch managed to say to sum up his situation.

            "Oh, its not that bad, Luthor." Zack said and Dessloch started to believe that Zack really went crazy. And he means 'really' crazy. "Not 'that' bad, huh? Well how bad is it?" Dessloch didn't bother to sound polite this time. 

            "Well, if Tanya wins, we'll get out." 

            "I like it how you put it. 'If' she wins." Dessloch spat back.

            "Luthor, you're such a pessimist." Zack said as he was forced back on his feet.

            "Yeah? Well I just can't seem to get the bright side of this picture."

            "But you are missing a point."

            "What point is that, exactly?" The two were forced down the corridor.

            "That there is no bright side." Zack laughed like nothing was happening.

            "Um, Zack? Just in case you didn't notice, we are being arrested."

            More laughs came from Zack, as the troops ignored them. "Yes, I know."

            "Okay, well I don't see what's so funny." Dessloch couldn't keep the nervousness back. 

            "That you are as much as blind as the soldiers are." Was his mere answer. 

            _He is nuts, he is totally out of his mind._ "Ahaha." A nervous laugh escaped him. "How blind, exactly?" The group of troops went in front of them, leading them to what Dessloch is guessing is their doom. "Don't worry, Luthor. Everything will be fine." Zack sounded really confident but that did not help the situation.

            "You sound so sure." Was the last thing Dessloch said when a loud _BOOM_ was heard and light artillery firing from somewhere further down. _Tatatatatatatatatata._ Dessloch knew that sound. It was the sound of a Minigun used outside of the Arena. The soldiers fell one by one; smoke filling the hallway and soon nothing could be seen.

            Dessloch acted as fast as he could, he jumped up and pressed his knees up to his chest as he swept his hands under himself and brought them up in front of him. 

            "Hey!" A cry behind him was heard and Dessloch wounded a good sidekick into the man's chest, forcing him to the floor. Dessloch swung his right leg in the air and forced it down hard onto the man's chest, knocking him out.

            Quickly crouching, Dessloch searched for the soldier's submachine gun and grabbed it. He wheeled around towards the front were the troops died as the smoke began to escape slowly and he could make out a few figures. There were three people, standing there with their weapons down.

            "Dessloch? You there!?" A voice screamed out and Dessloch felt relief sweep over him. It was his buddies, the Blood Reavers. "Yeah, I'm here, we're okay Boris." Dessloch and Zack came up to them close enough to see their faces; it was Boris, Kyla, and Mariana.

            "It's good to see you, Boris." Dessloch said as he saw Zack holding his own rifle but his handcuffs were broken, unlike his. "Let me help you with that." Boris said as he came up and took the keys from one of the guards and un-cuffed him. Dessloch thanked him and turned to Zack.

            "How did you know they'd be here? I thought you went mad, you know?" Dessloch asked.

            "Well the point is, I didn't know they'd come." Zack said as he laughed in disbelief. Dessloch only managed to drop his jaw. 

            "Xan is on Killing Spree!" The announcer's voice boomed through the broken off Arena. _Dammit._ Was all that came to Trinity's mind as she appeared on the twin bridges. Xan is getting all of the weapons. She can't fight him with an enforcer. It just sounds impossible. 

            Xan's score is nearing hers but she is still in the lead. Best not to go down to the lower level. But she needs at least some type of a weapon either than just an enforcer. She needs to know where he is. He might still be near the center of the first floor where the Plasma Rifle is. 

            If she can get her hands on that weapon, she could melt him to bits and pieces, and Xan's bubbles would be burst for good. It's a good plan; after all, Xan wouldn't want to carry each weapon. He just doesn't have enough hands for them.

            He obviously decided to stick with the Launcher. Maybe she can come close to him, Xan is not suicidal—she hopes. It's a plan. 

            Trinity ran inside the shuttle, running on the balls of her feet as she tried to stay as quiet as possible. If Xan will know her location, she's as good as dead. Trinity flattened herself against the wall opposite of the exit and slowly peeked out.

            No one there except for the broken lights that are left from their previous face-to-face encounter when the round hall was still standing. 

            Trinity slowly went inside the large room with the ramp going down. The Minigun wasn't in its place like she guessed. But alas! There was the Plasma Rifle. Right in front of her, lying on the ground like precious gold.

            But she knew better than to run for it. Xan is a bastard but he's not a dumb bastard. Licking her lips and carefully walking down the ramp as she tried to look around for any signs of her enemy. None so far, she'll need to be extra careful if she wants to live through this tournament.

            Thoughts that this weapon could be used as a perfect decoy to use against her ran through her mind, but she needed that weapon. She can't win a match with an enforcer while Xan is holding a whole load weaponry. 

            She gives him credit for being smart enough for cutting off her routes to the different weapons, but he doesn't know that she specializes in all types of weapons. Even that cursed GES bio-rifle. 

            Trinity felt like it was now or never, she ran straight for the Plasma Rifle. She rolled as she heard a missile spin past her before she reached the middle. Getting to where she wanted, Trinity gritted her teeth as she forced her limp body up against the wall, hard, facing the opening. 

            She kicked the weapon up with her foot and caught it in mid air. "Any prayers, Xan?" She called out in her cold, cruel voice. "I do not pray, Trinity." Xan answered with a hint of enjoyment in his tone. She smiled and knew that this is his last day standing. 

            "Well then, I guess you should have found some else who does."

            "Why is that?" 

            Trinity laughed. "So the other one can pray for you."

            She leaped out sideways firing off her rifle straight into Xan's body the minute she noticed him. Her aim was perfect as each plasmatic ball buried into Xan's body, making him stumble back. 

            Trinity muffled a groan a she landed hard on her side, but never let go off the trigger. She WILL kill Xan she swears it.

            Her weapon clicked empty. As though in disbelief Trinity tried pressing the trigger but all she got was an empty clip. "Shit." She whispered and whipped her head up at Xan who started to stand. She took a deep breath as he stood up and brushed off some of the debris off of him and stared into Trinity's eyes. He started to laugh, laugh about the fact that he was still alive.

            Frustrated, Trinity dropped her gun and upholstered the enforcer and fired a clean shot straight into his temple, killing him instantly. "Xan's killing spree was ended by Trinity!" The announcer boomed as Xan's large frame tumbled to the floor, lifeless, his Rocket Launcher sprawling from his fingers. "Sit down." Her voice was even and she was glad. 

            "Ah, tisk, tisk, tisk, Trinity." A foot, carefully but firmly, stepped on her back as Xan spoke. "Don't you ever learn, Tanya-girl?" Trinity whipped the enforcer at him, but before she fired off a shot she found a bullet pierce her heart.

            Everyone filed into the empty stadium where Trinity was fighting the last match. Zack right behind them barricaded the main entrance by putting his submachine gun through the two door handles.  

            If he remembers correctly, the Liandri Troops were evacuating the viewers into the lobby. They should be reorganizing their troops and send them in by squads. They should do it exactly how the League does it. 

            _They will break through the main entrance as decoy probably to avert our attention. At least three squads. But only when they find out that we are here. _Zack's veteran voice whispered in his head as he tried to figure out what to do. _Once they'll radio for help other squads, at least two for each wing, will surround us from the east and west wing_. 

            He was probably right, and he didn't want to get this wrong. Tanya better hurry up and win that match faster then she attends to because they'll be sitting ducks out here. _Once she will win, we'll take the west wing. It would lead us to the Blue Bunker eventually. Dessloch should know his way from there. The bunkers are like mazes, they should exit through the west exit and make their way outside from there._

Dessloch did mention earlier that he had a black sedan parked just outside the park. If they'll make it there they should be able to make a clean getaway. It was a plan, no matter how brief it's still a plan. Better than nothing, but if Tanya takes too long they'll need to execute plan B where some of them get left behind. 

            "Well, she's winning." Dessloch said, completely breaking the links of thoughts Zack had. "But she still needs six frags. She's been fighting him for some time. I don't know how long it will take her. I'm not sure she will win the match fast enough to carry out the first plan. I mean, well. It will be a miracle if we will all make it out."

            Zack ignored the miracle part. "Have some faith in her, Luthor. We can't do anything now but hope." He heard Dessloch scoff. "Hope, huh? You should tell that to Trinity sometime." Zack rolled his eyes as he looked around the stadium.

            "I'll take a look around and see what we can use and see how many guards are where." Zack needed to do something. He can't wait around and just do nothing. Zack started towards the east wing as he heard Dessloch call to him. "Anything I can help with?" 

            "Yeah, watch the match and tell me when she's up to 14 frags." Zack called back.

            "Watch the match?" Dessloch sounded a little disappointed in that. "What do I look like to you?"

            Zack ignored the youth's complaints. Dessloch wanted action, Zack figured that, but everything must go perfectly if Dessloch wants to stay alive. "ARR." He heard Dessloch give off a very angry sigh. 

            "You know what?" Zack turned to look at his friend. 

            "What?" 

            "Let your friends watch the match. I want you to climb over to that room and shut off the lights. Can I entrust you with that task." Zack asked sarcastically as though Dessloch was fresh from the academy. 

            "All the way up there?" Dessloch's mouth dropped as he looked at the where the circuit room was; all the way up near the ceiling which was at least four stories high.

            "What's the matter scared?" Zack teased him to get Dessloch angry; when he's angry he does things more accurately. 

            "Hell no. It's just that well—" Dessloch's eyes followed the old ladders and catwalks that were showing a hint of rust. "—well I don't trust their handy work. It looks like the walkway will collapse any minute. I mean, is that room even secured? What if—"

            "Luthor?" Dessloch looked at Zack. 

            "What?" 

            "Just go." Zack this time sounded irritated himself.

            Dessloch murmured to himself something that Zack didn't overhear as he started to climb the ladder.

            Trinity jumped through the portal and rolled on the floor as she appeared in the side of the shuttle where Xan has fragged her. With anger, Trinity grabbed the Rocket Launcher Xan dropped earlier and fired a homing missile. Taken by surprise, Xan turned around into oblivion. "Burn, baby." She sounded tough and angry.

            She ran up to her old corpse and took the second enforcer before her body disappeared. She holstered the second enforcer on her left hip and dropped the heavy Launcher when she heard the Minigun spawn in back of her. She grabbed the machinegun and loaded it with the clips that went along with it.

            She couldn't resist smiling as she felt the weight of the weapon. Now, she needs to find Xan and to destroy him for good. 

            Trinity ran outside onto the bridges, as she kept her minigun aimed at the top platform. She didn't see the Rocket Launcher but she didn't see Xan, as well. 

            Trinity didn't bother going up there, the semicircle was completely destroyed and if she will find Xan there, then she will find him there floating. Xan wouldn't be nice enough to end his life just for her; she doubts it.

            Trinity ran back inside and was hurled from the explosion behind her, as a rocket zipped passed her. Trinity looked up from the floor to Xan's face, feeling disgusted. Xan waved to her with his free hand and he fired a homing missile, which whirled in the air and went straight for her.

            Trinity rolled forward, as she still held onto the Minigun, and fell through the hole in the middle, near the Armor, while the rocket exploded at the top, making debris plummet to her shoulders. She doubted that the ceiling would hold, so she needed to get out of here, quick.

            Trinity ran forward after she scrambled to her feet and grabbed the Armor. The ceiling started to flake away as she heard it snap and give in under it's own weight with Xan tumbling down along with everything.

            Trinity rolled and faced Xan in an instance, firing off her weapon straight into his torso. A rocket escaped his Launcher, as the bullets ripped open his armor, and it flew straight for Trinity. She dodged left and landed near the ramp as the missile exploded. 

            "You are a pain in the neck, Trinity." Xan hissed through the smoke. Trinity quickly ran up to another ramp where, where the Plasma Gun was. She fastened her vest quickly, strapping it at both sides before she ran to the other side of the hallway.

            The vest will protect her but not from the rockets Xan is using; she'll need to disarm him. A rocket zipped by behind her, before she made it to the other side, and Trinity dropped to the floor and fired her minigun at Xan. She aimed for his knees, making him kiss the floor when falling to it as dim filled the hallway.

            The dim slowly started to escape through the opening that leads to space and Trinity could make out a figure, trying to stand up in front of her. She stopped in her tracks as she thought of a better option. If she would come closer to him she would make noises from the debris beneath her, best to take him by surprise. 

            Trinity ran out of the hallway and jumped down the ramp as quietly as she could. She dashed forward at the small walkway that used to have the Armor, without making any noises. She carefully came up towards the ramp and saw Xan, getting up, and looking down the hallway she used to be in.     

            Trinity aimed at his back and let a thrilling beat of thundering boom, as the bullets rammed into his back fast and merciless. She heard Xan scream, his body dropping to the floor, dead. Trinity with her utmost compassion yells, "Yeehaw!"

            To admit the truth, Trinity was enjoying the fight between her and Xan. She feels as though she has already won, for when killing Xan she feels accomplished. 

            "So how does it feel, Xan?" She asked with a pleasurable tone. "How does it feel to be kicked straight into the dust?" She received no comeback, but she didn't mind. If he has nothing to say then its better for her.  

            A bullet sharply raged through her right shoulder, causing her to drop her weapon and reach for the wound with her left hand. "XAN!" She screamed in fury as she upholstered the enforcer from her left hip with her left hand, and she turned around, fast and irefully, and shot a perfect shot into Xan's temple through his helmet. 

            Xan's body tumbled to the floor, hard, with a thumping sound. _Bastard, _Trinity thought while she dropped her weapon and grabbed her shoulder. She examined her injury and believed that the bullet went straight through her tissue; so her shoulder wasn't fractured. 

            She'd need to find a medkit for her wound if she wanted to stay in top shape, also, she needed it so she wouldn't leave any blood trails behind. She holstered her enforcer and took her Minigun with her left hand as she looked at Xan, lying dead near the pillar opposite of the teleport.

            If her memory serves her right, there should be two medkits behind that column. She quickly ran up to it and saw two medkits lying on the floor. She grinned as she placed her weapon on the ground, and opened the medkit, seeing the syringe, a micro needle strap, and a couple of regular straps in the box. 

            She went for the straps and wrapped her arm around with the cloth, carefully, making sure she didn't hurt herself. She is no doctor, but she knows how to operate these, as should as every member of this tournament. 

            She ripped off the extra cloth and tied it into a knot, finishing her binding. She took the Minigun with her right hand— 

            —as Xan jumped through the portal and rammed into her. Trinity hit the column with her back as Xan got to his feet and pointed the Flak Cannon in her face. "Good night." He quietly said and pierced her body with metal.  

            Trinity respawned near the cursed GES Bio-Rifle, and she took it with vengeance, ready to smear this guy to nothing. She loaded the rifle with its green, acidic, waste, and ran out of the basement and saw him notice her. 

            He quickly aimed the Flak Cannon at her face as he ran straight for her, but he was met with the acid spilling all over his body. "ARRR!!!!" He screamed as the acid penetrated his suit and into his skin, melting him. "Just slaughtered that guy!" Trinity said with pleasure.

            All was left of Xan was blood and his weapon, which Trinity picked up as she tossed away the GES Bio-Rifle. 

            "You growing on my nerves, Trinity." Xan hissed through her earpiece, making Trinity smile. "Oh, good." She answered him as she checked if the Flak Cannon was loaded. She had 29 shots, not bad. This is more than enough to nail this son of a gun for good. 

            Trinity ran behind the pillar and found her old Minigun. She swung it behind her back while she kept the Flak Cannon in hands, and jumped through the portal that lead her to the other side of the shuttle. 

            She spotted a few clips for her long-range weapon, and thought she should load it. She ran up to the pad where the Minigun should have been, but only the rounds for the weapon were left instead. She grabbed the ammo, but stopped the minute she heard a loading noise. 

            Trinity slowly looked up, towards the ramp above her, and saw Xan standing there, on top, and he was loading his Launcher full missiles. "Shit." She managed to whisper as she aimed the Flak Cannon at his face, but she was too late. The rockets rammed into her and that was it. "Witness my perfection." Xan said with ease as he jumped down to where Trinity used to be. 

            Trinity appeared right next to Xan, and she reacted by a spinning kick straight into his face. Xan swirled in the air as her foot made a contact with his jaw and slammed into the floor. Trinity picked up the Flak Cannon she dropped earlier, and stepped onto Xan's armor, while leaning in to whisper, "You have no perfection, Xan." And she silenced him with the piercing metal into his face. 

            "And stay down." She added as she picked up her old Minigun once more, and kicked the Rocket Launcher straight into space. "Try fragging me now, freak." She quietly said, as she was ready to move out. 

            Two hands wrapped around her throat when she got to her feet, and Xan started to choke her with his inhumane hands. "Ahh!" Trinity cried as Xan wheeled her around and threw her into the column, her body hurting her at the blow. 

            Blood escaped her lips, and Trinity swung for her Minigun but it was kicked aside by Xan. Picking her up by her throat, Xan glared into her eyes. "You were right, Trinity." Xan slowly said as he reached out for his metallic mask. "I am no longer human anymore." 

            Trinity widened her eyes as she watched the monster take off his helmet, revealing his face, but he wasn't finished. He started to take off the skin off his face, revealing his true face; a face with wires plugged into his microchip, laser beam for eyes, and no mouth. He was a machine, and Trinity started to doubt that he was ever human. "Oh my." Was all she managed to say as Xan started to laugh that insane laughter.

            "Okay! I made it!" Dessloch screamed through one of the open windows at the very top. "AHHHH!" Mariana screamed out loud. "What? What is it?" Dessloch looked down at his friends and saw that they couldn't peel their eyes from the screen. "What happened!?" Dessloch asked louder.

            "Trinity is getting kicked around like a football." Boris filled him in, and Dessloch's eyes widened. "She's—she's losing?" He asked in disbelief. "Luthor, turn off the goddamned lights!" Zack screamed at Dessloch, bringing him back to what he came up for. "Right." Dessloch said as he turned around and looked at the circuit breaker in front of him. 

            He opened the panel and saw the two rows of switches going down. "You sure?" Dessloch called back. "I don't think I should shut down the tournament branch. Do you?" Dessloch waited for the answer and got none. Sighing, Dessloch started to shut down the switch one by one, but left the tournament lights, the screen, and the mechanism that operated the spawning on. He wouldn't want to put Trinity in danger.

            The lights in the stadium went down and they were in pitch black. _Great, how am I going to come down? _Dessloch asked himself as he looked out to see the floor but only found darkness. The screen was still on and Dessloch looked how Trinity was tossed into the wall, near the ramp leading out to space.

            "Come on, Trish." Dessloch quietly said as he spotted a Flak Cannon a few feet to her right. "Come on, Trish, go for it." He said quietly, watching Xan come up to her. 

            So Xan was one of the 'Corrupt' all along. Just like he guessed, he isn't human. Even if he used to be a human, nothing was left of it anyhow. Dessloch heard Xan chuckle through the speakers, that inhuman voice that made chills run up his spine.

            Xan seemed to swing a punch at Trinity but she dodged to her right, rolling and grabbing the Flak Cannon as Xan's fist was stuck in the wall. "Eat this." Trinity cried out and send a flying ball of metal straight into his face. Xan screamed, with his voice getting swallowed by crackling noises of malfunction. 

            She needed one more frag. If only she could pull it off quickly because they are running out of time. Xan appeared right in front of her and seem to startle Trinity, as her eyes widened. She went for her weapon and shot out another ball of metal, making her jerk her hands up.

            She missed as Xan rolled towards the Minigun that Trinity dropped earlier, and picked it up quickly. Trinity took a step back as she showered him with flak, shaking her in place, but she missed as Xan dodged to his left.

            Before Dessloch could blink, Xan ripped open halls into Trinity's torso as she was forced into open space, falling off where the round hallway should have been. "No." Dessloch whispered in disbelief, watching Xan stand up from his crouch, and—

            —and a ball of flak slammed into Xan, pieces splintering into him and chopping his body to pieces. 

            "Trinity wins the match!" The computer announcer exclaimed and Trinity spawned back in the arena in mid-air and she fell to the floor, and she let out a cry of distress. What was left of Xan was bits and pieces.

            "Dessloch turn on the stage lights, quick!" Zack's voice rang out as a command, and Dessloch did as he was told. The lights flickered on at the stage's frame, as Trinity struggled to get up on her elbows. 

            Dessloch looked out again and saw Trinity being plugged with holes and blood gushing out of her abdomen. "Trish!" Dessloch screamed out loud as she grabbed her wounds. "Help." She whispered in a hurt voice when she spotted Zack on the stage with her, and Dessloch's heart dropped to his feet.    

             

**(a/n): That's all for now, folks. A cliffhanger once again, but I guess you all saw that coming. Well what can I say? I'm sorry it took this long but I hope the wait was really worth it this time. This is my longest chapter yet! A little over 12 pages in Word. What do you think? Did you like it? Was it interesting? **


	30. The Getaway

(a/n): I guess it's fair enough to say that all of you are biting your nails, thinking when will you find out if Trish will die or live. Well, don't worry, you will find out soon. And don't go hoping…because there is no hope. Nah, I'm kidding. Well I'll thank you guys later, so you got on with the fic faster.

Enjoy.

Chapter30: The Getaway

            Trinity's eyes found her opponents leftovers as she felt pain, horrible pain run through her body. She shouldn't have killed him when she was injured. She should have waited until she has respawned, so when she won she wouldn't be in a fatal state.

            Trinity felt her life slip from her fingers, but at least her soul can finally rest now. She was finally complete, and she was wondering what will happen after the match. She was too worried, thinking that there would be nothing left in her life and that she would have nothing to live for. 

            But this is how her story really ends. She would not worry any longer of what the next the day has in store for her. This is it. Just when she thought she would have to deal with a life where memories of blood, vengeance, and gore will fill her mind. She wouldn't be needing anything else as of now.

            She breathed a long breath out, feeling the pain through her body, feeling broken and on the brink of death. Xan nailed her with three bullets, bullets that are strong enough to stop her for good. She wasn't fast enough, she wasn't good enough.

            But she didn't care, anymore. As long as Xan was dead, everything was fine. This is how it was meant to be. She has no destiny but maybe this is for the better, she wouldn't have to suffer any longer.

            "Trish." A voice called out to her as hands supported her head. "Trish, are you alright?" It was Dessloch. Pity ran through her, pity that she still had Dessloch and she had to leave him. But he was here; he didn't leave her. He was here beside her, like he promised long ago. 

            "I guess…" She started to speak when suddenly blood rushed up her mouth, making her choke on her words as Dessloch held her close and tight. "I guess it didn't turn out how you hoped it would." Trinity couldn't hold back that pity within her hurt voice, and Trinity regretted how she sounded; she would never want to hurt Dessloch.

            "No, it didn't." Unlike hers, his voice was even but cold. She could sense some of his despair, and she could feel that he is holding back his own tears. No matter how hard she tried, she would hurt Dessloch he was hurt right now. No matter how much he would deny it, he was crying. 

            "That is why there is no hope." She managed to smile as she said her words because she was proven right once more. All her life she lived without it, how could anyone prove her wrong?

            "No, Trish. That's not true. There is always hope, it's just that, it's not always necessary for things to turn out as you have hoped. Hope is not fact, Trish. Hope is something you want to believe in, so, so you could live peacefully in present." Dessloch shook her, keeping her with him, sticking her to reality.

            "But hope is useless. It only hurts in the end." She whispered quietly as tears ran down her cheek. She looked at his face which was covered with blood, bruises, and dirt. He fought his own battle and survived, so have she but she wasn't strong enough. 

            "Trish, listen." Dessloch started, his voice breaking as he leaned down closer to her. "We made a promise to one another, remember? I can't let you break that promise. That promise means everything to me. Please." Dessloch gulped as a tear went down his left cheek. "Please. You promised me. You promised me I won't lose you."

            He held her closer and in a firmer grip as if afraid of letting go. "And you won't." She managed to whisper while she placed her hand on his cheek which he quickly grabbed. 

            "Promise me, promise me—" Trinity coughed up her blood as she tried to tell him something. "Be with me—be with me until the end." She let more tears run down her cheek as she held onto him. "Promise me, please." Her voice trembled as she whispered very quietly that only his ears would here.

            "I promise." Dessloch said and hugged her. She felt complete, hearing those words. She closed her eyes as one last tear fell from her eyes. _I promise._ His words echoed in her ears. _I promise._

            "Trish?" Dessloch pulled back and looked at her face, and shook her in disbelief. "Trinity?" He slowly closed his eyes as he felt bitter pain in his heart. "No, Trish. You promised. You promised, dammit!" He screamed his words out, as he shook her once more. His eyes traveled to her wounds, three bullet holes in her abdomen. "Trish." He fought back his tears which proved to be an effort.

            "She'll be fine." Zack's voice rang out as he kneeled besides him. "She's just unconscious. We better get her out of here before she really does gives up on us. Come on, the troops will come any minute now." 

            The troops! Dessloch's head snapped in alarm. Zack was right; there was no time for tears. Suddenly, Dessloch got up and picked up Trinity, his face becoming a mask once more. There are things to be done, quickly.

            "This changes everything." Boris quickly said. "She wasn't supposed to be injured." Boris helped Dessloch get down from the stage as Zack jumped off. "I know." Zack's voice was strained while his eyes traveled to the main exit. 

            "Time to move to Plan C." 

            "Like we got a Plan C." Dessloch said, sounding concerned as he held Trinity.

            "Now we do." Zack said as he walked up and took Dessloch's submachine gun, which was on the stage. "Kyla and Mariana." Zack turned to them. "You go with Dessloch. Clear the way at the west exit. There are two squads facing their back towards you. Annihilate them quickly and don't let them realize what's going on until their dead."

            Zack turned to Dessloch. "Dessloch, you will go to that black sedan with them two. I want you to drive to the Cape Row Ave. There should be a building with Electro-Trauma sign written on it. They have the same tech as in this tournament. Ask for a guy by the name Jason Cripton. Tell him I send you. They should help Tanya."

            "What about you?" Dessloch asked as he exchanged glances with Boris. "Me and Boris will cover ya." Dessloch shook his head. "No Zack. I know where you are going with this, but you are part of this tournament. They'll kill you and Boris without asking any questions. You know Cripton better than I do and if you come, there won't be any questions. Plus, you're stronger, you'll be able to run faster."

            "Dessloch I can't let you—" 

            "You're her only chance, Zack." Dessloch interrupted him. "I'm a better shot than you, Zack. I'll be able to hold them back longer, you know that's true." 

            Zack seemed uneasy. "She needs you, Luthor." Zack said, trying to find another reason. 

            "That is not a good reason for her to die, Zack. You know we have no other choice. Me and Boris will hold them back. We'll get out, don't worry. We've done this too many times, it'll be a walk in the park. Once we're done, I'll meet you at the Cape Row Ave. She better be well by that time, you here?" 

            Zack nodded. "Alright. But you better come back in one piece, Luthor. Or I'll find a way to bring you back to life just to kill you myself." Dessloch nodded. "That's a deal, brudda! Now GO!"

            Dessloch handed Trinity to Zack and took his weapon—

            —just when the main doors flew open from an explosion and three squads of troops waltzed in. Dessloch dropped to the floor in the dark stadium and opened fire with Boris as Zack ran for the west wing with Kyla and Mariana in front of him. 

            _They better be careful._ Dessloch thought as he aimed for the knees of the troops, dropping them quickly and merciless. Shutting off the lights was smart, for the Liandri Troops were shooting aimlessly. Three squads were plenty of people to take down and the battle between them was over.

            "Phew." He heard Boris breath out as he was, too, laying down on his stomach. "Commander Luxin, are you receiving this?" A voice over the radio was heard. Dessloch got up from his belly and picked up the radio. "Luxin?" Dessloch switched to the communication and said, "Luxin is out on vacation, please try again later."

            "Who is this?" The voice seemed alarmed. Without caring, Dessloch dropped the radio to the floor and crushed it underneath his foot.

            "Well, that takes care of them." Boris said in the still air. "But what are we going to do about…them?" Dessloch followed Boris' gaze and came against nearly 4 squads that surrounded them quickly. They must have come from the east and west wing. Dessloch hoped that Zack and the others had enough time to slip away.

            The lights quickly turned on, the stadium lighting up like fire, blinding Dessloch. "Drop your weapons!" Came a command from somewhere in front of him. Slowly his eyes adjusted to the bright light, and he narrowed his eyes at a particular individual in front of him. 

            "Visor, you worthless piece of shit!" He sounded cruel but Visor seemed not to care as he laughed in his robotic tone. "What's the matter now, Dessloch? Low on gas?"

            Dessloch snarled his lip in disgust. "I'll deal with you later." His voice was very cold. "Yes, I'm sure you will but for now, drop it." This time Visor pointed the weapon at Dessloch's face. "Now." Dessloch's weapon clattered to the floor at the command. 

            He felt a dart bite his neck, and his hand went up to take it off, but he fell to dreams before his hand reached for it.

            "Shit, shit, shit!" Zack hissed as he ducked under gunfire while Kyla and Mariana fired back. "Is there another way out towards the west exit?" He yelled over the commotion. "Yeah, but they have that area barricaded." Kyla call out as she dropped the submachine gun and took out a 9mill berretta.

            A question rose in Zack's head of where they got the weaponry that wasn't used in the tournament but figured it wasn't important. What was important was getting Tanya out of here. _I need a sniper rifle._ Zack quietly thought, as he felt helpless in this situation.

            "Go!" Kyla called out to him, and Zack got to his feet and ran down the hallway, jumping over dead bodies as he still held on to Tanya. "Hang right and open the second door to your left."

            Zack followed her commands, quickly turning right and ran down the hallway towards the second door on the left side of the hall. He kicked open the door and he went inside a dormitory. "What the hell?" He asked himself as Kyla and Mariana ran inside. 

            Mariana closed the door and moved an armchair to block it. "There should be a fire exit out on the kitchen." Kyla quickly said as she and Mariana reloaded their weapons. 

            "Whose dorm is this?" Zack quickly asked, hoping she knows where's what. "Used to be Boris'." _Good._ Zack thought as he laid down Tanya on the couch. "He keeps any weapons here?" He asked her as he moved closer to her. "In fact, yes. There is a vault here, beyond that bookshelf. He should have a rifle. Check if there is a vest, for Trinity to where."

            Zack quickly ran for the bookshelf and asked, "How do you move it?" 

            "Pull the book with no title." Kyla called back as she crouched besides a window.

            Zack pulled at the book and the bookshelf moved towards the left, revealing a small room with couple of clips and a rifle with a silencer. Seems like some things where taken out, but to his luck something was left. To the left, hung a vest and to the right where keys, probably to a car.  Zack left it where it was. Luthor and Boris might need it to get out.

            "Alright I'm set." Zack came up to Kyla and slowly looked out the window. There were a few post guards, nothing too complicated. Zack crouched and carefully aimed at the guards, and shot 6 times, killing each guard. 

            "Here." He hanged Kyla the sniper rifle. "Cover me." Zack said as he ran for Tanya and put the vest on her. He picked her up and Mariana helped him open the window. "You watch the door." Zack told Mariana before he ran outside onto the fire escape.

            Zack quickly descended the fire escape 3 stories down and came to a stop at where a ladder was raised. He carefully swung Tanya over his shoulder and pressed the descend button and the control manual, and the ladder smoothly went down. 

            Zack took the ladder down and was successful. He ran to his left, as fast as his feet could take him. He was a good runner, he was well built for it, but there was just not enough of time. 

            He heard Kyla and Marina follow behind him as they rounded the building. "There it is!" Mariana pointed towards the sedan. Zack picked up speed and ran up to it, Kyla and Mariana following. Mariana typed in the code in the penal and the locks opened.

            Zack opened the passengers' door and laid Trinity down on the seats. Kyla ran into the front passenger seat and Mariana went in with Trinity. Zack quickly swung the doors opened from the driver's side. 

            "Where are the keys?" He asked Kyla quickly, watching her typing the code in the glove box. She took out the keys and handed them to him. Zack started the sedan and started to hover. 

            "I hope you drive good." Kyla quietly said as he pressed the gas and they escaped.  

            "We made it!" Kyla screamed as Zack made a U-turn and parked right next to the Electro-Trauma building. It seemed vacant but Zack knew better than to trust the appearance. "Come on. We don't have much time." Zack quickly said as he got out of the car and opened the passenger seat. He reached for Tanya and carried her out of there.

            They ran into the old building, hoping they still had enough time. "Jason!?" Zack screamed his name but there was no answer. "Shit! Now what?" Mariana asked as she looked around. "I—I don't know. The interior sure has changed." Zack said as he turned around and a gun met his face.

            "Password?" The man asked and Zack froze. "Password?" Mariana asked, sounding surprised herself. 

            "You didn't mention anything about a password."

            "I never knew we need one." Zack said with a strained voice.

            "Does this mean we're screwed?" Kyla questioned as another individual took her weapon.

            "Zack? Is that you?" A man came out of the shadows. Scars ran down his face, one near the cheekbone and the other across his lip. "Well, I'll be damned. It's you Vicklair." The man slowly said and Zack started to feel better again.

            "Cripton. It's good to see you." Zack said, observing his face. 

            "It's good to see you too, Vicklair. Thought the League made you a janitor or something, a killer, you know?" Zack wanted to laugh at the joke but he couldn't afford to smile. 

            "At ease, men. They are our friends." The people started to lower their weapons, and Kyla quickly grabbed her weapon with a hump. 

            "How can I help you, Vicklair?" Jason asked as he came up to him and looked at Tanya.

            "I know that face." Jason quietly said.

            "Yes, it's Tanya. She needs your help." Zack quickly said.

            "I wonder if she still remembers me." Jason said thoughtfully.

            "You won't find out if you won't help her."

            "Alright then, Vicky." Jason stared back with a serious face. "How can I help?"

            "Vicky?" Kyla asked as she tried to hold back a giggle. Zack didn't say anything, he just acted.

            Dessloch woke the next morning and found himself in jail with Boris. This situation sucked and Dessloch promised himself that he would be the one to kill Visor. Visor, that goddamned-good-for-nothing-scrap-yard, has finally cleaned up his act. _That—that bastard._ Dessloch felt like he would explode any minute.

            Two Troops came to their cell, both holding automatic weapons. One of them scanned their hand on the scanner and the cell's energy bars disappeared. "You." They pointed at Boris. "You are free to go." 

            Boris looked at Dessloch with a surprised look, but Dessloch nodded. "Go, Trinity won the tournament, remember? The team is free now." Boris shook his head. "I'm not leaving you here." Boris said firmly. "You don't have a choice." Dessloch called back when the troops grabbed Boris and wheeled him out of the chamber and closed the cell. "I'll see you again, Dessloch." Boris was hurled away. Silently, Dessloch whispered. "Yes, you will."

            Time past and Dessloch was getting frustrated with sitting here alone. He needs to plan a way to escape. He can't rely on nobody here; it's not his style and never was. 

             "So, how does it feel to be 'here' and not 'there', huh? How does it feel when you are a nothing? You see what happens when you become free while your whole team is still enslaved? Now it's a total opposite. Hahahaha." Dessloch looked up at Visor's voice, and narrowed his eyes in anger.

            He spat in his face, and received a shock from the rod quickly, making him stagger back into a wall behind him. "You don't know how happy I am now that you are here and under my wing. Hahaha." Visor continued.

            Dessloch pulled back from the wall and lunged at him with his hands through the energy bars, carefully, and he wrapped his hands around Visor's neck. "You can't choke me, Luthor." Visor's voice showed a hint of amusement. 

            He gritted his teeth as he still held on to Visor. "Take this." Dessloch whispered and he pulled Visor towards the bars, and electrocuting him. Visor screamed, but Dessloch couldn't let go of him as the electricity followed towards him, and Dessloch yelled in pain. 

            Visor's circuit fried, Dessloch figured, when something sounded like it was blown up. Suddenly the bars disappeared and the electricity broke off, leaving Dessloch as a free man. 

            Dessloch ran out of the cell and rammed into the guard as the prisoners started to get loud. Dessloch took the automatic rifle from the guard and plugged a hole into his head. 

            Dessloch looked back at Visor and smiled. "I told you I'll take care of you later." Dessloch quickly ran out of the hallway, quietly coming up against a wall that turned left. Dessloch flattened himself against it and peeked out. 

            There was one guard sitting behind a desk and a laptop, facing his back to him. Dessloch aimed at his head carefully, his finger curling over the trigger. Just when he was about shoot he stopped that instance, for he spotted a retinal scanner. He needed the guard alive if he wanted to get out of the cellblock.

            Dessloch quietly walked towards the man, making no sound as he swung the automatic rifle over his shoulder. Dessloch quickly grasped him, one hand over his mouth and the other over his head, ready to snap his neck in seconds.

            "Hello there." Dessloch said quietly as kicked the chair away and forced him to come towards the retinal scanner. The man muffled under his hand as Dessloch kept it where it was.

            "If you make a sound. I'll kill you, you understand?" Dessloch quietly asked. The guard seemed to nod and Dessloch let go of his mouth as he pressed his face across the retinal scanner. 

            "Access Verified, you may exit." Dessloch quickly took his rifle with his free hand and pointed at the man's head. He forced him straight up, guiding him with his hand on the guard's shoulder.

            The two of them exited, but Dessloch wasn't about to let him go. This guy was his ticket out of here, and he won't miss this chance. Dessloch turned the corner and faced a couple of squads, aiming the weapons at him. "Don't move!"  

  
(a/n): And let's leave it there. A cliffhanger once more but at least he still got chances. Well, I'm glad this chapter will be updated faster than the rest, but I'm having a problem with the Internet line. Well next chapter will be the last, I hope. Unless it will be somehow too long, but I doubt it. The next chapter will up soon.

Here are the thanks to my fellow readers and reviewers.

**Alex:** Speechless, huh? Well you'll find out what will happen. I hope you are enjoying this fic.

**Slash The Ironman:** Phew, I'm glad you are not quitting. The way you described it in the fic, I thought you wouldn't continue. Sorry that I overreacted. Well, I'm happy to hear that you will continue it. 

Well about my story, now. I guess you'll just have to wait and see if she dies or lives. But keep your fingers crossed. 

**COUGH:** Thanks for the compliments. I tried so hard on that chapter. I'm glad you thought the wait was worth it, I know it really did take a month to update but hopefully it won't take that long anymore. 


	31. Fading Tears

(a/n): Welcome back, everyone. I'm really happy that you all are enjoying this story, really. This is the last chapter, make the last of it. I have a surprise stored for all of you. Hope you all would love this surprise. 

Here are my thanks.

**Fun:** Haha. Thank you for such a lovely review, Fun. Really, you inspire me a lot and I appreciate that. Well, what can I say? Enjoy this last chapter, this chapter is dedicated to you. 

**Daniel Wesley Rydell:** Thank you, thank you, thank you. Well, I'm glad you didn't think of the last chapter as a cliffhanger, because I know how it hurts. Well, keep writing your story because it's an interesting start. Well enjoy.

For now,

Enjoy.

Epilogue 

Fading Tears

One month later…

            Tanya was standing above the grassy fields, morning zephyr caressing her hair across her face and over her shoulders. If only life was like this; beautiful and peaceful like this meadow she's in. Life is so tender to those that have to give something back.

            Tanya's black dress kicked in the wind as she stood in sandals in the grass. It was yet another morning, a morning where someone is dearly missing, but it was time to leave. No matter how long she waited, he didn't come home. 

            There was no hope; Tanya learned it the hard way. But what she learned from her vengeance is that, there is no faith. At least not for her. 

            Tanya closed her eyes as fresh tears ran down her cheeks. Life wasn't tender to her. It has taken her to many places, death, loss, tears, anger, hate, and despair. But one thing it had brought her was love. At least she got a taste of what it is, but she will give anything to see Dessloch again. 

            Dessloch, her own Dess whom she loved so dearly. She never expected to meet someone like him. He wasn't like everyone else, he made her laugh, cry, angry, but above all, he made her fall in love with him. It wasn't foolish, it was beautiful.

            Tanya took a deep breath as she looked across the sky. How the world is beautiful, how wonderful it is to breathe in fresh air, see the sky, feel the rain and the wind across your face, but nothing as beautiful as staying with Dessloch.

            They were in harsh times, the tournament toughened them, gave them nothing to believe in. At first it started out in hate, but then everything changed. The hate soon turned to love, but she knew that love hurts, hurts more than anything else. 

            Blind rain started to fall, drooling from her face to her chin and shoulders, her long hair starting to stick to her face and shoulders. Shiver running up her skin, as more tears started to fall that was lost within rain.

            She could not accept the truth, she has lost so much and she just wouldn't accept it. Life is cruel but she had something in this cruel humanity, but that was taken away too. Taken away like everything else; her dreams, her hopes, her life. 

            It was time to leave, leave this horrible place. She could not see it anymore, a place where blood was spilled more than once. She wants to go away more than she has to. The new Earth Government is taking more control. Soon this place will be taken away like everything else.

            Tanya turned around and looked at the mansion she lived in. "Rest in peace, Father." She quietly said as she put a white rose on the grassy fields, but she didn't leave. She looked out again, back into the sky and smiled. There is no faith, there is no hope. She lived without it all her life and she has survived.

            "Tanya." A soft voice called out as an umbrella blocked the rain. "Hi Zack." Tanya sounded as if she was lost in thought. She felt a hand on her right shoulder. "Everything is ready." Zack said quietly like he understood that this must be kept short as if understanding what she is thinking.

            "Yes, of course. I will meet you in the garage." Tanya said sounding depressed. "I will be waiting. Take as much time as you need." His voice was light against the beating rain on the umbrella. "By the way." He spoke again. "You want the umbrella?"

            Tanya shook her head, "No, no. I'll be fine." Zack nodded and gave her a squeeze on her shoulder before walking off, rain falling freely on her. Tanya concentrated on the past this time. She hated the future, she was sure of that, but she managed to stay out of it, for she despises the past just as much only she keeps on living in it. 

            "Be with me. Be with me until the end." She whispered quietly to nobody. "Because you will always be in my heart." She smiled. "Never forget." More tears ran down her and she promised herself; these are the last tears she'd ever cry. "Good bye, Dess." She closed her eyes. "Good bye," she whispered once more.

            Tanya turned around and started to walk towards her house when a voice interrupted, "Is this what kind of hello I get after days of searching and suffering? Boy, I need a vacation." Tanya's eyes widened as she turned around.

            "Dessloch!" She leaped at him to hug him but they both fell to the ground. "Oh, Dess." She cupped his face and kissed him. "You left me, dammit." She said as she was crying again. 

            Dessloch looked at her with tiring eyes as he put his arm around her neck. He leaned her down and kissed her. "I promised. I promised, Trish, remember?" He asked her against her lips. 

            She pecked his lips. "That's right." She said softly. "Now do you believe in hope?" He asked her as she pulled back an inch. "Never." She said and smiled as she hugged him. "Okay, but I can still call you, Trish, right?" He sounded sincere as she broke into tears of joy. "I give up. You can call me Trish." She kissed him.

            "Oh, Dess. Don't ever leave me. Don't ever leave me." She fought back her tears but they were falling with rain. "I won't." He said, pushing her hair back behind her ear. She hugged him again, too afraid of letting him go. "I love you, Dess." She quietly whispered, nudging her nose against his ear. "Oh, I love you so much."

            Dessloch kissed her on her cheek, answering, "I love you, too, Trish."

            "Take me somewhere, Dess." She pleaded as she pulled back and took his hands.

            "Take me somewhere far away." She said, ignoring the rain completely. She wished time would freeze, just this instance. She didn't want this moment to just disappear. She doesn't want to remember it, she wants to keep on experiencing it, and she just wants to stay with him. 

            She laid on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, a slow rhythm thumping through his body. She closed her eyes as his arms wrapped around her. A silent agreement that they have made to one another, an agreement to just be here for a moment, to enjoy this time that she fears they'll never have again. But why was she afraid? They have their whole lives ahead of them.

            "Where do you wish to go?" He asked her after a moment of silence. 

            "I don't care." She said dreamily. "As long as if it's far away, I don't care." She looked at him.

            "Alright then." He looked at the sky with the droplets pouring on his face. "I'll take you somewhere. I'll take you somewhere far, far away."

            She smiled. "You promise?" She asked him. "You won't disappear?"

            "Never. I will always be with you." He took her chin. "I'll take you to the Lunar Colonies."

            "Hm. Is it nice there?" She asked dreamily.

            "No tournament, there." He said with reassurance.

            She laughed. "But promise me one thing." She dropped down to a whisper as Dessloch leaned her closer to him. 

            "What's that?"

            "Promise me." She said quietly for his ears alone. His hand went over her cheek and she traced it.

            "Promise me, be with me—be with me until the end." He kissed her passionately. 

            "I promise." He said against her lips as he kissed her again.

            _I promise._

-Fin

(a/n): Please see the next chapter. There I thanked all my gracious fans who reviewed. Thank you all. Also, a sneak peek of a sequel to this story. Yep, that's the surprise a Sequel to 'Vengeance For Blood.' Thank you everyone.    


	32. Special Thanks

**:Special Thanks:**

FUN—My very first reviewer who never stopped reading my story. I honor you with an award of the most passionate reviewer. Thank you! I needed courage when I started this story, and you were there to back me up with your passionate reviews!

Slash The Ironman—One day you came and you never stopped visiting. Thanks for all of your encouragements and jokes! You were very encouraging. And don't forget your marvelous story. I enjoyed reading your reviews and expressions.

COUGH—Another one of the old Trio Reviewers! Thanks so much for reviewing and helping me with how to write good detailed fights. If it wasn't for you, I don't know how descriptive I would have got. 

Daniel Wesley Rydell—Don't know what to say. You came once and decided to come back. Your reviewers were very encouraging and with plenty of humor and style. Thank you so much. 

shrtys-sk8er—Thank you, thank you, thank you. I look up to you as an expert in fighting scenes. Thanks for your encouragements and suggestions.

Alex—Now, I've got to thank you. Reviews with feelings from the heart. Thank you so much for reading this story. I enjoyed reading your reviews, made me laugh and smile all the time.

R.Lee—You came once in a while, popping up with jokes as usual. Thanks for encouraging me.

Amaris—Cannot forget you, my friend. I respect that you love reading this story when the chapter are already written. Gives it a feeling of a book more than a fic. Thank you for your compliments.

Xanvier—Thank you for your lovely compliment. Even if it's just one, it was a very inspiring one.

Phil Urich—Don't know if you are reading this but if you are, thank you so much. You complimented me at the time when I started out, thank you.

Demon_child_100—Thanks for checking up on this fic and I'm happy that you enjoyed it.

Rookie one—Well even though you got a childish impression of this story, something made you look at this story. And I'm happy that you took your time reading the first chapters.

Redneckman—Ah yes. You won't be hearing me saying anything against Malcolm in this story no more. Well, thanks for popping in.

**::Sequel to Vengeance For Blood::**

**:Chapter 1:**

            It was quite in the old tavern; a few groups of people scattered around corners, whispering and minding their own business. It wasn't one of the safest places to be during this time of day, but there are much more dangerous places, as well. 

            Alien races of different kind were up near the counter, drinking bear and other beverages. This is how it was today at Lunar Colonies, humans are not alone out there. Especially after a visit of the new Empire back at Earth, we had to escape it or face imprisonment.

            Funny how humans used to have the cutting-edge technology and were at brink of a Golden Age, when suddenly all was taken away with one wave from the Emperor and all came crushing down under it's own weight. Cutting-edge technology didn't help with that and soon humans have joined the club of the slaves. Wonder what our ancestors think of us now.

            There are not enough of us left as still free agents, most joining the resistance groups against the Emperor. Most of us are nothing but cowards, cowering in corners, praying to God for hope. What faith these people have. There are just a few that are lost to yet another deep misunderstanding. Misunderstanding about everything that this world is now today. 

            If you are a survivor, you'll understand soon enough that there is neither hope nor faith. Well maybe there is false hope but that's not something I'm ready to rely on. I don't have time to believe in things that do not exit.

**:Will be posted soon:**


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